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Transformative Opportunities For Community Engagement Within Teacher Education: Creating Opportunities To Prepare Preservice Teachers For Urban Environments In Post-Katrina New Orleans, Margaret-Mary Sulentic Dowell

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Preservice teachers need meaningful opportunities to engage in authentic community activities that expand their cultural horizons and frames of reference, strengthening their preparation for urban teaching. Abramson Science and Technology Magnet in New Orleans East opened the 2007-08 school year without a library or functioning classroom libraries. Providing access to books is a cornerstone of reading development; thus, Louisiana State University education candidates engaged in a project that established classroom libraries in every K-8 classroom.

Welcome From The Editor, Nancy Brattain Rogers

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention Project As Community-Engaged Scholarship, Young-Me Lee, Susan Poslusny, Sara Anderson, Howard Rosing

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This article describes the results of a 6 month integrated community service and service learning project aimed at the high prevalence of sexually transmitted infection (STI) in a largely immigrant Latino and African-American community area. A total of 64 participants were screened and six positive cases were identified. Results indicated that the adolescents studied lacked proper knowledge regarding safe sex and healthy behaviors, and most refused treatment despite providing anonymous education, screening and treatment services.

Community Partner Perceptions About Community Engagement Experiences For Nursing Students, Judith E. Wattman, Marjorie A. Schaffer, Maureen J. Juarez, Leanne L. Rogstad, Timothy Bredow, Sara E. Traylor

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This study explored community agency staff perceptions about community engagement learning experiences for nursing students. Focus groups with staff from eleven health-related community organizations revealed seven themes that will contribute to effective curriculum development and implementation for community engagement: (a) agency expectations for students, (b) orientation, (c) schedule of student experiences, (d) invested student participation, (e) student match with agencies, (f) projects envisioned, and (g) effective interactions with the population. Practice implications for developing community engagement learning experiences are suggested.

Mediating Role Of Defense Mechanisms Between Parenting Styles And The Development Of Pathological Narcissism, Jared C. Cordero

Student Theses

The present study examines the relationship between perceived parental styles, grandiose narcissism, vulnerable narcissism, and defense mechanisms with the aim of replicating the Imamgolu & Batigun (2020) research findings. A cross-sectional design was used. Covariates such as sex, age, parental dynamics in youth, and household dynamics in youth. To do this, 150 participants between the ages of 18-65 and residing in the United States were recruited via Prolific. Regarding sex, 66.7% of the participants were female, 32.7% were male, and 0.7% were intersex. Upon recruitment, participants completed a battery consisting of the Pathological Narcissism Inventory, Narcissistic Personality Inventory-16, Perceived Parental …

Problem Videogame Playing Scale: A Preliminary Study Of Measurement Invariance Between English And Malay, Jia Yuin Fam, Rumaya Juhari, Zainal Madon, Mohd Najmi Daud

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

Purpose: Distinguishing between problematic and non-problematic gamers is a priority concern. Although the Problem Videogame Playing (PVP) Scale might be useful as a screening tool of IGD, there is little evidence to support the measurement invariance of the PVP scale. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the English and Malay versions of the PVP scale. Methods: A total of 646 secondary school students aged between 12 and 18 years were recruited to participate in this study. Results: The unidimensional structure of the PVP scale was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. The PVP scale correlates well with other …

The Role And Influence Of Media Coverage And Social Media On Suicides: A Scoping Review, Kevin Miko Buac, Janine Trixia Austria, Claro Emmanuel Monsanto, Ma. Jamaica Monique Ponce, Arnold Christopher Soriano, Mystie Suzuki, Marc Eric S. Reyes

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Numerous factors contribute to suicide ideation; recent studies highlight that the media’s presentation of suicide plays a significant role in influencing suicide ideation and attempts among their audience. This study aims to evaluate the extent of the literature on traditional media reporting and social media in the context of suicide ideation and attempts, considering social media as a distinct yet relevant domain with its widespread reach and user-driven nature. The PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews was employed to retrieve relevant studies and address the following questions: (1) What potential factors …

Multiple Pathways Of Social Impairment For Youth With Symptoms Of Adhd: A Novel Model Of Serial Mediation, Ewald Michael Wefelmeyer

Dissertations (1934 -)

The current study sought to explain the heterogeneity of social impairment among youth with symptoms of ADHD with the goal of potentially improving a clinician's ability to identify and support those children. A novel model of the relationship between the disorder and social impairment was proposed with serial mediators of parental/family functioning and emotion regulation. It was anticipated that a higher level of ADHD symptoms would lead to more impairment among aspects of parental/family functioning, which would predict more emotion dysregulation which would subsequently predict poorer social functioning. Structural Equation Modeling yielded little support for the overall model and no …

Nigerian Immigrant Mothers’ Parenting Style In Supporting Academic Achievement In Their Children, Ganiyat Olasumbo Saidu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supporting their children’s academic activities while navigating the socioeconomic norms of the new system continues to be a significant challenge for most immigrant parents in urban areas of the United States. However, there is inadequate literature on the parenting behaviors used by Nigerian immigrant parents to support their children’s academic achievement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how Nigerian immigrant mothers describe the parenting styles that support their children’s academic achievement. The theoretical framework for this study was Bandura’s (1977) social cognitive theory and Baumrind’s (1966) theory of parenting styles. For this basic qualitative study, the population …

First-Generation Black And Latinx Students And Their Perceived Level Of Postsecondary Education Preparedness, Shawanna Burton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

First-generation Black and Latinx students report challenges of belonging and preparation in the transition to college. Limited research on these experiences hinders counselors’ support for these students. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore first-generation Black and Latinx college students’ meaning of their high school experiences. A hermeneutic phenomenology conceptual framework was used to explore the lived experiences of first-generation Black and Latinx college students, focusing on how guidance from high school counselors influenced their sense of belonging, persistence, and degree attainment in postsecondary education. Data were collected from nine participants through semistructured interviews and analyzed using …

The Potential Benefits Of Co-Design In Dog-Assisted Treatment Programs For Veterans Seeking Mental Health Care, Parvin (Pary) Bahmanyari, Pauleen Bennett, Tiffani Howell

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Veterans are more likely than the general population to experience a range of mental health problems. While many veteran mental health support programs are available, veterans may struggle to access and engage with these services for various reasons (e.g., a stigmatized perception of mental health disorders, mistrust). Animal-assisted services have become more popular in civilian and military health care settings where traditional therapies (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy) may not always be effective. Assistance dogs, for example, which live with veterans to provide disability support, have been successfully employed for veteran mental health. Unfortunately, a subgroup of veterans may miss out …

Affirming Connections: Understanding The Factors That Cultivate Supportive Relationships For Latine Students And High School Staff, Ivelis Macaruso

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

Latine students have increased steadily in the United States. This population brings rich experiences and strengths to their school communities. However, such strengths are often overlooked in the development of individual practices and institutional policies to better support Latine student wellbeing. Research suggests that supportive relationships between students and school staff promote positive academic outcomes and student wellbeing. Yet, the factors that promote supportive relationships among Latine students are not well understood. This qualitative dissertation examined Latine students’ experiences of both impactful factors and barriers to supportive relationships with school staff through the lens of critical race theory (CRT), Latina/o …

The Progressive Changes In Posttraumatic Symptoms And Posttraumatic Growth Associated With Traumatic Incident Reduction, Joseph L. Mcclory

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many millions of people are suffering from symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Just in the United States, 13 million Americans had a PTSD diagnosis as of 2020. Through the theoretical lens of catharsis, analysis of variance was used to examine whether traumatic incident reduction (TIR) is associated with changes in posttraumatic symptoms and posttraumatic growth by comparing pre, mid, and post-TIR PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) scores. Regression was also used to test whether post-PCL-5 scores accounted for variance in the post-PTGI scores. Ninety-seven TIR cases from the mental health agency between 2017 and …

Biophobia And Pet Ownership: Can Having A Pet Mitigate Our Fear And Aversion Towards Nature?, Alexia Barrable

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

Biophobia, which we defined as fear, disgust, or aversion toward natural environments or organisms, has received little empirical attention when compared to biophilia, despite its implications for human and planetary wellbeing. This mixed-methods study explores the relationship between pet ownership, biophobia, and nature connectedness among 373 English- speaking adults. Quantitative findings reveal that (M = 26.4) exhibit significantly lower levels of biophobia than non-pet owners (M = 30.1; U = 5179, Z = -2.95, p = .002, R = 0.27), although no significant differences in nature connectedness were found across pet ownership (U = 7033, Z = 0.31, p = …

Steiner And Jung On Esoteric Knowledge, Katherine T. Ziemke Mst, Jd, Phd Candidate

Journal of Conscious Evolution

For centuries, humanity has been accumulating complex knowledge, systematically building increasingly intricate mathematical and scientific models by accruing predictable circumstances or facts, often designated as theories or laws. This essay proposes that there is a hidden well-spring of ideas or knowledge beyond the methodical accumulation of such mathematical and scientific knowledge, from whence the source that inspired the basis of this knowledge might have originated. Carl Gustav Jung and Rudolf Steiner believe there is an abundance of such knowledge that lies hidden in plain sight and available for a vast expansion of human awareness. In this essay, I take a …

Ptsd Symptoms Moderate Predictors Of Psychophysiological Arousal During Fear Inhibition: Evidence From A Fear, Reward, And Neutral Discrimination Task, Jacklynn M. Fitzgerald, E. Kate Webb, Kaley Davis, Meghan Bennett, Tristan Benjamin, Boiana Pegau, Susan Sangha

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The ability to distinguish between threatening, rewarding, and neutral cues is adaptative and crucial for survival. However, individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often show poor knowledge of cue contingencies and heightened fear responses even in the presence of cues that signify safety, potentially due to atypical perceptions of neutral cues. We investigated whether perceiving neutral cues as more rewarding or threatening influences conditioned inhibition of fear and whether PTSD symptoms moderate this relationship. Trauma-exposed adults (N = 84; 64 % female; 76 % non-Hispanic white) completed a Fear, Reward, and Neutral Discrimination (FRND) Task involving geometric shapes paired with …

Self-Talk Speaks Loud: A Bibliometric Dissection Of Its Rise In Counseling Practices, Sri Purwanti, Wahyu Nanda Eka Saputra

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

This study aims to map global trends in self-talk using a bibliometric approach. The data source was entirely drawn from the Scopus database, focusing on publications containing keywords related to self-talk, such as self-talk, talk, and relationship. The analysis was conducted on 960 selected documents published between 1975 and 2025. The results show a significant increase in publications since 2020, reflecting a growing need for self-talk approaches that support mental health and psychological well-being. Authors from various countries contributed differently, with the United States dominating in terms of both publication volume and citations, while developing countries such as Indonesia have …

Investigating The Effects Of Cognitive Loads On Serial Dependence And Metacognition In Visual Working Memory, Wing Sum Chiu

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

Humans tend to perceive the physical world based on the input from the recent past, a phenomenon known as serial dependence. Serial dependence typically results in an attractive bias toward prior stimuli to maintain perceptual stability. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether cognitive loads can modulate serial dependence and metacognitive processes may depend on serial dependence. In this study, we investigate how memory and perceptual loads affect serial dependence, memory precision, and metacognition in visual working memory.

In Experiment 1, we manipulated memory load by varying set sizes. During each trial, 1, 3 or 6 Gabor patches (as a between-subjects factor) …

A Short Trip: A Mixed Methods Investigation Of The Perceived Effects Of Vaporized Dmt Vs Vaporized 5-Meo-Dmt, Cynthia Estrella Ortiz

All ETDs from UAB

The rise in psychedelic use has been accompanied by increased interest in alternative routes of administration, including vaporization. However, little is known about the characteristics and outcomes associated with vaporized forms of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT). This mixed-methods study examined the subjective experiences and mental health correlates of individuals who reported using vaporized DMT, vaporized 5-MeO-DMT, or psilocybin mushrooms in the past six months. A total of 209 adults completed an online survey assessing demographic variables, substance use, and psychological functioning, including measures of global health (PROMIS), subjective happiness, magical ideation, spiritual connection, psychosis-like experiences (CAPE-42), and hypomanic symptoms. …

Measuring Emotional Well-Being Across Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Alecia Mercier

All ETDs from UAB

Emotional well-being has emerged as a crucial determinant of both physical and mental health, with implications for public health initiatives aimed at improving quality of life and reducing mortality. However, a clear and consistent understanding of emotional well-being, its components, and optimal measurement strategies remains lacking, especially for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. This dissertation investigated how emotional well-being is conceptualized and measured in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. Paper one was a scoping review that identified 20 emotional well-being measures developed or adapted for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Findings demonstrated that many existing measures do not include emotional well-being …

Parenting And Parental Well-Being As Risk And Resilience Factors For Mental Well-Being In Adolescents With And Without Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Wanqin Yu

All ETDs from UAB

Parenting practices and caregiver well-being are widely recognized as key determinants of adolescent mental health. However, few studies have examined how these factors operate in the context of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), particularly through a risk and resilience framework. This study investigated how positive and negative parenting practices, caregiver well-being, and parenting stress relate to adolescents’ emotional well-being and internalizing problems. It also explored whether these variables differed between adolescents with and without NDDs. Participants included 105 adolescents aged 11–14 years (61.9% female; 52.4% diagnosed with an NDD) and their caregivers, drawn from a larger study on adolescent socio-emotional competencies. Caregivers …

Racial Discrimination And Inflammation In Adolescence: Ethnic/Racial Processes As Moderators, Queenisha Crichlow

All ETDs from UAB

Discrimination and other psychosocial stressors contribute to chronic disease by dysregulating neuroendocrine and immune systems, which often leads to increased levels of inflammation. Given that inflammation is a key biological pathway associated with the development of chronic diseases, it has been proposed as a potential mechanism linking racial discrimination to poorer health. Most studies linking racial discrimination with inflammation have focused on adults, despite the fact that children and adolescents also experience discrimination. This dissertation explores the association between racial discrimination and inflammation, measured via salivary C-reactive protein (CRP) and proinflammatory cytokines, among Black and Hispanic adolescents. It also examines …

The Association Of Resilience Factors With Mental Health Outcomes Among Middle-Aged And Older People Living With Hiv, Jeremy Delgadillo

All ETDs from UAB

Research suggests that people living with HIV (PLWH), an aging chronic health population, have higher prevalence rates and severity of mental health and substance use disorders compared to people living without HIV (PLWoH). Cross-sectional and longitu-dinal studies have suggested intrapersonal resilience factors may serve a protective function in reducing the prevalence and severity of mental health and substance use outcomes among PLWH. The purpose of the current study was two-fold. The first aim was to systematically review the current state of the literature from 2000 to present that examined the associations between intrapersonal resilience factors and mental health outcomes among …

Y You Go Scale (Yygs): A Tool For Measuring Religious Commitment, Camron Angell, David Heath, Noah Perry, Taylor Hales

Student Works

Psychology historically has underplayed the role of religion and has not considered its importance in treatment and research. As such, the field is in need of measures of religious commitment and a greater understanding of the religious experience. There have been general measures of religious commitment such as the Religious Commitment Scale (RCS) and the Religious Commitment Inventory (RCI-10) (Dyer et al., 2023; Fox & Bouffard, 2015; Worthington, E., 2003). The issue with general scales is that religious commitment looks different for each religion. In this context, the present study sought to develop a scale of religious commitment for students …

Barriers Beyond Bars: Examining Experiences Of Students With Criminal Records, Anakin Rivera Ramirez

Dissertations and Theses

As educational opportunities, particularly prison education programs, continue to expand for incarcerated individuals, this study, which included two participants, one formerly incarcerated and one who pleaded guilty to avoid incarceration, suggests that those who plead guilty to avoid prison may enter college without the structured reintegration resources available to their incarcerated peers. While substantial research has explored the school-to-prison pipeline phenomenon in K-12 settings, fewer studies have examined its impact on students with criminal records navigating higher education. Grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT) in education, this study seeks to understand the experiences of carceral system-impacted students of color in …

Hmongcentric Niche Charter Schools: The Role Of Social Capital On Students’ Perceived Academic Competence, Zha Blong Xiong, Ting Xu, Kyle Nickodem, Malina Her

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

Using Coleman’s (1988) social capital theory, this study investigated the connection between family and school social capital and the perceived academic competence of students enrolled in Hmongcentric niche charter schools. The study analyzed 124 participants consisting of third, fourth, and fifth-grade students residing in Minnesota, with 93% identifying as Hmong. Results of structural equation modeling showed that school social capital, as measured by school attachment and school connection, is significantly linked to students’ perceived academic competence. Further analyses suggested that school attachment, especially in charter schools that focus on culture and language, plays a more crucial role in shaping students’ …

Sex-Specific Associations Between Early Life Unpredictability And Trajectories Of Body Mass Index From Infancy To Adolescence, Emily M. Melnick, Lilybelle K. Deer, Jenalee R. Doom, Hal S. Stern, Curt A. Sandman, Laura M. Glynn, Elysia P. Davis

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective:

Unpredictability in early life is an understudied aspect of early life adversity that provides important signals to the child about their environment. Recent work shows the predictability of patterns of parental signals on a moment-to-moment timescale sculpts the developing brain during sensitive windows, offering a potential pathway through which early life experiences shape child development. Both experimental non-human animal models and observational human research show sex-specific links between early life exposure to unpredictable patterns of parental sensory signals and aberrant offspring development. The impact of predictability of sensory signals on physical health outcomes, such as BMI, remains unknown. Here …

Give People Money: The Effect Of Perceived Inequality In Everyday Life And Previous Cash-Transfer Programs On Support For Universal Basic Income, David Thomas Igliozzi

Dissertations

Economic inequality is a global concern with many adverse consequences for people across class divides. These consequences vary in scope—from negative effects on individual’s physical, mental, and social health to large-scale economic shifts which result from climate change (Galbraith & Hale, 2008; Hiesh & Pugh, 1993; Kaplan et al., 1996; La Ferrara & Alesina, 2000; Solt, 2008; Vilhjalmsdottir et al., 2016; Wilkinson & Pickett, 2007). Policy solutions meant to address the negative effects of economic inequality include government redistribution of wealth. Universal Basic Income (UBI), a specific and actionable policy of government redistribution, is a promising method of economic inequality …

From Heroic Imagination To Heroic Action: The Legacy Of Philip Zimbardo In Portugal, Mariana Reis Barbosa, Ana Mafalda Guimarães, Mafalda Gomes Santos

Heroism Science

This article presents the development and implementation of the Heroic Imagination Project (HIP) in Portugal, tracing its evolution from inception to expansion across educational and community contexts. In 2018, the authors attended the Hero Round Table in San Francisco, receiving training from Zimbardo on the bystander effect and strategies to counteract it. Recognizing the absence of HIP curricula for younger audiences and the importance of fostering prosocial behavior early, the team created tailored programs: HIP Kids for children and HIP Teens for adolescents. Since 2018, these programs have been implemented in schools and social centers, reaching approximately 1,200 participants. Developed …

Effects Of Gratitude, Mindfulness, And Goal Setting On College Athletes' Well-Being, Performance, And Motivation, Vanessa E. Vanwoerkom

Student Works

Because of the emphasis of sports in today’s society, athletes experience near-constant pressure from the public, coaches, and fans. This can make it difficult to control feelings of stress, anxiety, and even depression. Positive psychology interventions have been shown to be useful in teaching athletes to cope with difficult emotions and to handle the stress that accompanied advanced competition (Gabana, 2018). The benefits of positive affect have been shown to enhance motivation and attention, facilitate coping with hardship, and increase problem-solving skills (McCarthy, 2011). The practices of gratitude, mindfulness, and goal setting are some of the most effective skills taught …