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Migration, Remittances, And Child Growth: Evidence From Cambodia, Vatana Chea, Patcharawalai Wongboonsin

Journal of Demography

Remittances have become a main resource for development in low- and middle-income countries around the world. With impressive growth in remittances over the decades comes interest in their importance to development. Using data from the 2009 Cambodian Socio-Economic Survey with a sample of 2,767 children under 5 years of age, this study investigates the impact of migration and of remittances on children's quality of health, and tests whether or not the so-called permanent income hypothesis holds for remittances relative to other income. Also employed is two-stage least squares analysis to account for potential endogeneity problems. In short, it was found …

White, Heterosexual, Cisgender Male Experiences With Contemporary Masculinity Language, Marcus D. Kako

Doctoral Dissertations

Studies suggest that rigid adherence to tenets of traditional masculinity (e.g., dominance, restrictive emotionality, aggression) can lead to adverse physical and mental health outcomes in men and marginalized groups (e.g., Burke, 2002; Jampel et al., 2020; Jewkes et al., 2011; Mesler et al., 2022). However, literature demonstrates that many men have an aversion to changing thoughts, values, and behaviors related to traditional masculinity, and that the language used to discuss these changes affects men’s willingness to engage in adopting new perspectives and values (e.g., Smedley & Croffie, 2023; Stein, 2018). Thus, this dissertation focuses on understanding how White, heterosexual, cisgender …

Associations Between Sexual And Gender Minority Stress Exposure And Schizophrenia-Like Experiences In The South, Lillian A. Hammer

Dissertations

Background: Negative experiences related to one’s minority identity serve as stressors contributing to mental health concerns for those identifying as a sexual and/or gender minority (SGM). SGM groups have greater severity of some mental health symptoms than non-SGM individuals, yet it is poorly understood whether these findings extend to schizophrenia-like experiences (SLEs). SLEs are associated with significant distress and may indicate risk for the development of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Associations between exposure to minority stress and SLEs are underexplored. This study aimed to fill this gap by assessing whether exposure to SGM-related minority stress was related to SLEs using ecological …

The Moderating Role Of Coping Strategies In The Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms And Hypersexuality Among Young Filipino Adults, Kathryn H. Jacob, Voltaire M. Marquez

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

Mental health among young adults is receiving increasing attention because of its significant influence on overall well-being, including physical health, interpersonal relationships, and daily functioning. Among the key concerns within this age group are depression and hypersexuality. This study investigated the moderating role of coping strategies in the relationship between depressive symptoms and hypersexuality. We hypothesize that adaptive coping strategies—such as problem- and emotion-focused coping—would attenuate the negative effects of depressive symptoms on hypersexual behavior, whereas avoidant coping would intensify this relationship. To test these assumptions, a cross-sectional explanatory study was conducted involving 407 Filipino young adults aged 18 to …

Analyzing Environmental Education In Northern Mississippi And Its Impact On Student Outcomes, Vishnu S. Gadepalli

Honors Theses

This thesis examines environmental education in public high schools in northern Mississippi, investigating how educators describe its presence, delivery, and institutional support in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harm. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with high school teachers across four northern Mississippi schools, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed through iterative thematic coding under Institutional Review Board approval. Five themes emerged: opportunistic curricular integration, time and standards as overriding structural constraints, passive institutional support, student receptivity tempered by limited awareness, and significant variation across school contexts with one magnet school as a clear outlier. The study concludes that environmental education in these …

Neuropsychological Profiles To Aid In Determining The Necessity For Neuroimaging Reviews: Providing Evidence For A Screener For Cerebrovascular Abnormalities, Kayla Blaire Miller

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to provide evidence for a white matter abnormality (WMA) screener by investigating whether commonly used neuropsychological measures of executive functioning and processing speed have predictive power for identifying high WMA burden.

Participants were administered a brief neuropsychological evaluation by a doctoral student under the direct supervision of a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist and underwent an MRI scan. A neurologist rated each participant’s MRI results using the Fazekas scale. A total of 178 participants were included, divided into two groups based on their Fazekas rating: low WMA burden (46%) and high WMA burden (54%).

A confirmatory factor analysis indicated …

Childhood Emotional Maltreatment And Its Associations With Internalizing And Externalizing Symptoms In Emerging Adults, Amira C. Wallace

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This study examines how childhood emotional maltreatment influences mental health symptoms among college students aged 18 to 25, specifically exploring its association with increased prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, and aggression symptoms in emerging adulthood. The relationship between childhood emotional maltreatment and internalizing and/or externalizing mental health symptoms will be assessed using questionnaires. This study aims to provide recommendations for the development of supportive and inclusive academic environments that facilitate informed conversations and interventions regarding childhood maltreatment. Findings could provide valuable information about students with histories of childhood maltreatment to academic institutions, which could in turn be used …

The Effect Of Resilience: Exploring The Link Between Depression And Cognitive Performance In A Memory Disorder Clinic Population, Amanda Capriglione

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Research has consistently shown that depressive symptoms are associated with cognitive impairments, namely in memory, attention, and executive functioning (for a review, see Rock et al., 2014), particularly in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). As MCI is often a precursor to dementia, understanding and addressing modifiable factors that influence this trajectory is essential for prevention and intervention efforts. Resilience, defined as the capacity to adapt positively to adversity, has been identified as a potential protective factor against age-related cognitive decline. Prior studies (e.g., Laird et al., 2019b; Miller et al., 2023) suggest that resilience buffers against the cognitive …

Sanctuary: Counter-Oppressive Relationships With Farmed Animals As An Ecopsychological Imperative, Kelsey Bomboy

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

Consumers are intentionally shielded from and often misled about the process of breeding, raising, and slaughtering animals for consumption. By confining most farmed animals to warehouses in rural areas while the majority of humans are sequestered in urban areas, we have effectively created a world where humans do not have to contend with the sense of interconnectedness that arises when witnessing and being witnessed by a farmed animal. Within industrial slaughterhouses, the physical act of killing is minimized to just a fraction of the workers, so that even those who are responsible for rendering a once living being will never …

Impact Of An All-Gender Cabin Intervention At A Residential Summer Camp On Self-Esteem And Perceived Social Support In Lgbtq+ Youth, Suzanne D. Dinubile

Doctoral Dissertations

This study is a program evaluation with a mixed-methods design that evaluated the impact of Camp Tawonga’s All-Gender Cabin Intervention and LGBTQ+ programming showed no statistically significant changes, likely due to small sample size, but descriptive trends indicated improved outcomes for LGBTQ+ youth in All-Gender cabins. Semi-structured interviews with six LGBTQ+ campers revealed increased self-awareness and acceptance, empowerment, self-confidence, and a stronger sense of belonging within the LGBTQ+ community, along with positive interactions with non-LGBTQ+ peers. Notably, the three campers in All-Gender cabins highlighted unique themes of identity affirmation, emotional and behavioral growth, and relief from minority stress. Findings support …

The Smuggled Body: Embodied Experiences Of Sudanese Displacement Along The Sudan–Egypt Corridor, Marielys Padua Soto

Theses and Dissertations

The outbreak of conflict in Sudan in April 2023 triggered one of the world's largest displacement crises, forcing millions of Sudanese civilians to flee toward neighboring countries, particularly Egypt. As legal pathways became increasingly restricted following Egypt's tightening of visa policies, many asylum seekers relied on migrant smuggling networks to reach safety. This thesis examines how restrictive mobility regimes are materially experienced through the body by introducing the concept of the smuggled body, defined as the body through which the physical, emotional, and social consequences of border control, irregular mobility, and forced displacement are lived. Drawing on embodiment theory, border …

Embracing Social Media In Identity Exploration And Treatment, Sharon G. Stalions

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

In recent years, Americans are utilizing social media, and particularly video-based social media like TikTok. At the same time, and potentially in response to the ease of access to mental health information online, Americans are increasingly seeking diagnoses. This can be seen not only for mood disorders, but of neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Clinicians are no longer the gatekeepers to information on mental health diagnosis, and some communities question the relevance and validity of a professional diagnosis at all. As digital natives become adult therapy consumers, it is important that clinicians …

The Roles Of Trauma, Secrecy, And Epistemic Mistrust In Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder On Socioemotional Outcomes, Rina Goldstein

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

Former research has shown that attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has significant negative implications for people’s socioemotional functioning. Additionally, trauma and ADHD have been biologically and bidirectionally connected in the literature. A notable gap exists in the literature regarding how ADHD and trauma interact to affect socioemotional functioning. The following study sought to examine epistemic mistrust as a potential mediating factor between ADHD and socioemotional functioning, when moderated by trauma. Specifically, childhood interpersonal trauma was expected to amplify ADHD’s negative impact on socioemotional functioning, partially explained by epistemic mistrust. Additionally, disclosure of trauma and others’ reactions to disclosure were examined as …

Shadow Garments: Costume Creation For Integrating Alienated Parts Of The Self, Mega M. Galvin

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

This study explores costume creation as a narrative-based intervention for integrating "shadow" parts, or aspects of the self that are repressed or alienated due to shame, trauma, or social pressure. Grounded in Jungian analytic psychology, narrative therapy, and expressive arts theory, the research addresses the limitations of traditional talk therapy in accessing somatic memory and proposes costume making as a pathway for externalization and re-authorship. Using a qualitative, participatory study inspired by Pat B. Allen’s Open Studio Process, four adult participants engaged in a three-session workshop to design, construct, and wear costumes representing their identified shadow aspects. Data was collected …

Turning To The Sacred: The Role Of Religious/Spiritual Coping In Psychological Outcomes Of Childhood Interpersonal Trauma, Vanessa S. Tomasik

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are widespread and associated with significant and lasting psychological consequences, including posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and dissociation. Much of the existing literature has focused on adult trauma or narrowly examined childhood abuse and neglect, with comparatively limited attention given to other forms of childhood adversity such as witnessing intimate partner violence, parental separation, or household dysfunction. As a result, the differential psychological impact of distinct types of ACE exposure (i.e., maltreatment vs. household dysfunction) remains insufficiently understood. Emerging literature on coping identifies religious and spiritual (R/S) coping as an important factor in trauma adaptation. Positive R/S …

Emotion Regulation In Relation To Cumulative Stress And Cortisol For Children Attending Head Start Preschool, Emily Schnarr

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

The present study examined the relations among cumulative poverty-related stressors, emotion regulation (ER), and cortisol functioning among children attending Head Start preschool through a bioecological framework and tested whether children’s ER moderated the association between cumulative poverty-related stressors and cortisol functioning among low-income preschool children attending Head Start. Approximately 288 children attending one of two Head Start preschools participated in the study. Cumulative poverty-related stressors included primary caregiver high school dropout, unemployment, relationship status, disrupted primary caregiving, residential instability, and family size. Child ER was measured via teacher reports, and salivary cortisol was sampled five times across the day. Hierarchical …

Pathways Of Influence: Indigenous Peoples’ Agency And Leadership In Arctic Governance, Justin Barnes

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

For the peoples and communities who have lived in the Arctic since time immemorial, Arctic governance is not only about international cooperation, environmental management, or geopolitical competition. It is also about sustaining and advocating for Indigenous livelihoods, relationships with land and water, rights and responsibilities, and opportunities for future generations – all themes directly affected by political decisions made across local, regional, national, and international levels. This dissertation begins from a central question about how Indigenous Peoples exercise their agency and influence in Arctic governance despite operating within an international system largely organized around states. It examines this phenomenon by …

Making Sense Of The Origin And Evolution Of Coping, Belinda Cheng

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Young adulthood is marked by significant shifts in identity, responsibility, relationships, and beliefs, presenting individuals with various stressors that often demand more effective coping than before. While the coping literature offers strong quantitative and stressor-specific accounts of coping, existing models overlook the ways that context, individual factors, and decades of prior coping experience influence how individuals understand and iterate on their coping. This study explored how young adults make meaning of their coping trajectories across their life course, exploring the factors that inform the development and evolution of coping over time.

13 Ontario postsecondary students (aged 18-35) participated in semi-structured …

The Impact Of A Play-Based Nature Camp On Self-Regulation In School-Age Children, Margaret Berkemeyer

Doctoral Dissertations

This study is a program evaluation with a mixed-methods design that evaluated the effectiveness of Y Rangers, a summer camp offered by the YMCA of San Francisco, in increasing the self-regulation abilities of school-age children. A total of 18 caregivers completed the quantitative portion of this study that included pre/post-test analyses of self-regulation measures. There were no statistically significant changes between pre and post assessments of self-regulation. A subset of seven caregivers and three Y Rangers counselors participated in interviews, the transcripts of which were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Caregivers experienced Y Rangers as a unique opportunity for their …

The Relationship Between Acculturative Stress, Body Dissatisfaction, And Disordered Eating Behavior Among Latina Women In The United States, Emily Lillian Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations

The majority of research on body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors focuses predominantly on the experiences of white women, neglecting the significant impact of acculturative stress on these issues, especially among understudied groups like Latina women. The present study seeks to address the gap in the literature by obtaining data that explores the extent to which acculturative stress, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating behavior have a relationships. Additionally, it investigates the roles of cultural values and ethnic identification in protecting against body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behavior within this population. To determine whether acculturative stress is predictive of body dissatisfaction …

Serotonin 1b/1a Receptor Modulation On Probabilistic Reversal Learning In The Btbr Mouse Model Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Magdalena R. Gonzales

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is known for developmental disability that typically emerges around infancy and early childhood due to a possible combination of genetics, environment or a combination of both. A diagnosis of ASD is determined by behavioral measures due to the lack of reliable biomarkers. Such symptoms include social impairment, and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Restricted and repetitive behaviors often present as rigid behavior or behavioral inflexibility. Behavioral flexibility is often described as the ability to adapt to changing environments. Previous research has shown that serotonin (5-HT) 1B and 1A receptor upregulation may attenuate restricted, repetitive behaviors found in …

Exploring Burnout Among Ncaa Collegiate Athletes: The Impact Of Gender, Sport, Seasonal Demands, And Other Contributing Factors, Anneliese Wong

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine burnout among NCAA Division I student-athletes at one mid-sized University in the Rocky Mountains region of the United States and determine whether differences existed based on gender, sport type, competitive season stage, and burnout dimension. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was used and data was collected from 76 student-athletes across 11 varsity sports. Burnout was assessed using items adapted from the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ; Raedeke & Smith, 2001), along with additional items assessing fatigue and seasonal experiences.

Descriptive results showed the student-athletes reported the highest mean level of physical burnout, followed …

The Willing And The Compelled: How Power And Place Shape Human-Bison Coexistence In Poland And The United States, Patrick Orville Kelly

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Wildlife recovery programs depend not just on animals, but on how people feel about living with them. The degree to which people accept the disruptions wildlife brings to their lives, known as social tolerance, can determine whether a recovery program succeeds or fails, yet it remains understudied and underapplied in management plans. This dissertation studies how people in Poland and the western United States feel about living with the two living species of bison, the largest land animals in Europe and North America. In Poland, we surveyed 242 residents living at different distances from European bison habitat. Surprisingly, the most …

Caribou Migration And Non-Local Hunting In Northwest Alaska: A Gis Analysis Of Hunting Activity And Its Relationship With Caribou Migration Corridors, Brittney L. Jiménezszabo

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Indigenous Alaskans rely on subsistence hunting for food, with Barren-ground caribou making up approximately 27% of their diet. It is believed by subsistence hunters that non-local hunting is forcing a change in caribou migration behavior. This study examined non-local harvesting records from 2013 – 2025 in the northwest and interior Game Management Units (GMU) and Alaksa’s Western Arctic Caribou Herd (WACH) migration range data to answer the question, is there a spatial relationship between non-local harvests and WACH migration behavior. Mixed methods included spatial autocorrelation and local statistics. Findings led to the rejection of the null hypothesis which will help …

Do Cows Dream Of Open Fields?: Moral Imagination In The Age Of Industrial Meat, Josefa Benasso Barriga

Caroliniana Undergraduate Research Journal

This paper examines the ethical complexities of industrial meat production through the lens of competing moral frameworks, including utilitarianism and deontological ethics. While industrial agriculture provides affordable food and supports global economies, it also raises significant concerns regarding animal welfare, public health, environmental sustainability, and labor conditions. Using the BSE crisis as a case study, the analysis highlights how efficiency-driven systems can obscure moral perception and normalize harmful practices. The paper further explores the role of language and moral psychology in sustaining these systems, particularly through mechanisms such as moral distancing and cognitive dissonance.

By situating animal ethics within broader …

Maggies, Not Aggies: The Long History Of Opposition To Women At Texas A&M, Kara Alexander Culp

Journal of Texas History

Texas A&M University, a former all-male military school and the oldest public college in the state, is widely known for its conservative reputation. Drawing on archival documents and newspapers, this essay traces how the opposition to women at A&M evolved over the course of the school’s existence and examines the role former students played in shaping A&M’s identity. It argues that the school’s masculine reputation was intentionally crafted through constant pushback against official coeducation and an intentional burying of women’s historic involvement in order to create a narrative that was centered around male whiteness. Kara

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Foster Care Youths’ Classroom Behaviors, And Academic Performances While Attending School In A Residential Setting., Latavis Porter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and dysfunctions of the household, are linked to trauma and long-term health consequences. The descriptive study aims to contribute to the current body of literature by investigating the frequency and types of ACEs encountered by foster youth, their academic performance, and classroom behavior while in a residential setting. The ACEs experienced by the foster care youth before residential placement will also be examined. The mean, median, and mode of ACE scores are calculated to gain insights into the central tendency of traumatic childhood events. The research employs …

Compassion Fatigue Within United States Funeral Professionals: The Need For Increased Education Within Funeral Service Curriculum, Darien B. Cain

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Funeral service professionals are an integral part of society, caring not only for the deceased but also continuingly assisting bereaved families. Through this work, funeral professionals are exposed to both direct and indirect trauma, putting them at risk for developing mental health afflictions, including compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue education and training are protective factors against compassion fatigue, which enhance personal resilience. The current accredited funeral service curriculum lacks pertinent information regarding compassion fatigue. Interventions, education on terminology, and training integrated into the funeral service curriculum will help students learn stress-management and coping skills to prevent compassion fatigue in their future …

Reclaiming Connection: A Neurospiritual Exploration Of Healing In Early Addiction Recovery, Sherlley Yamirie Campos

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research is increasingly showing that addiction affects how people view themselves, others, God, and the future. Reclaiming connection, identity, purpose, and hope is now considered a vital aspect of recovery. The present convergent mixed-methods study examined spiritual, emotional, and relational healing during early addiction recovery and changes in spiritual connection, perceived stress, and closeness to God, self, and others. Eleven Hispanic/Latino men in a spiritually integrated residential program participated. Phenomenological interviews were used with pre- and post-assessment measures from the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES), Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), and Inclusion of Other in the Self Scale (IOS). Thematic analysis, …

Shaping Minds: Child Temperament And Parenting Combinations That Impact Child Mental Health, Tabitha Rue Strong

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine how the interaction between child temperament and parenting dimensions relates to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children aged 6-12 years. While previous research has identified that temperament and parenting are independent factors in the development of child mental health, few studies have investigated how specific combinations of these factors can influence child mental health. This study recruited 118 participants from schools, clinics, and other community organizations in South Carolina's Lowcountry. Parents completed four standardized measures, including the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire Very Short Form (CBQ-VSF) to assess …