Digital Commons Network^™

Social Determinants On Child Health In Africa, Tim Heaton

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Outcomes of this project exceeded our goals both in terms of research papers produced and in terms of preparing students for graduate school. The Proposed outcomes were as follows:

Pregnancy, Media, And Body Image, Sarah Coyne

Journal of Undergraduate Research

We are happy to report on our study “Pregnancy, media, and body image” which received a MEG grant two years ago.

Reducing The Prison Population Final Report Of Mentoring Grant, Stephen J. Bahr

Journal of Undergraduate Research

1. Evaluation of how well the academic objectives of the proposal were met

The purpose of this research was to evaluate a pre-trial services program designed to help first-time offenders adjust and reduce the risk of their re-arrest. The overall goal was to assess whether it would be cost effective and help reduce the jail population. A secondary purpose was to provide students with practical research experience working in the criminal justice system and conducting evaluation research.

Non-Governmental Organizations (Ngos) And Partnerships In Developmental Practice: Understanding The Dynamics Of Inter-Organizational Relationships In Southern India, Kyle Nelson, Dr. Ralph Brown

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have become one of the foundational mechanisms of social change and development. International NGOs count in the thousands and are the hallmark organizational form involved in poverty alleviation, human rights empowerment, and social innovation. Therefore, understanding these organizations is important in understanding how development impact comes about. However, no organization works in in a solitary universe, especially in the collaborative and multi-dimensional world of social change, and thus to appropriately comprehend the NGO we must also study their relational context with other organizations. Thus, my research project explored the dynamics of inter-organizational relationships (IORs) between NGOs in …

The New Homeless Of Utah Valley: How Changing Demographics Of Homelessness Requires Revision Of Homeless Policies, Erik Lovell, John Mcmullin, Ke'ala Cabulagan, Dr. Curtis Child

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Few populations are as affected by economic conditions as the homeless. With the recent recessions and changes in city/state/federal policies, the homeless population has begun to change. The traditional homeless population was associated with high levels of drug use, jail time, older men, and minorities (Sosin et al. 1990, Kuhn and Culhane 1998). However, the population has become younger, more likely to include families, and have differing patterns of substance abuse and jail time (Culhane et al. 2007, Sosin 2003, Caton et al. 2005). The traditional homeless person, defined as chronically homeless, would remain homeless for long periods of time …

Un Report On The Status Of Women In Cambodia, Chloe Litchfield

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The data for the 2013 Cambodia CEDAW Shadow Report was collected May–August 2013. This data was collected in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from individuals who work for organizations that assist women throughout the country.

Sleepy Meets Grumpy: Daily Sleep Predicting Marital Interactions Through Mood, Wesley Godfrey, Jeremy Yorganson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As populations worldwide grow increasingly older, the need to understand associations between daily health behaviors and relational outcomes among the aging population is of great importance. Further, exploring these associations among individuals in a relationship as common, yet as influential, as the marriage relationship is especially imperative to consider. Current literature has identified sleep as an important correlate to marital quality (Strawbridge, Shema, & Roberts, 2004). However, less is understood concerning the mechanisms that may account for this link, especially among the older population. Furthermore, though studies have identified important relationships between sleep and mood (Neckelmann, Mykletun, & Dahl, 2007), …

Promoting Self-Reliance In Piura, Peru, Kyle Durfee, Dr. Tim Heaton

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In an attempt to increase self-reliance among impoverished populations in South America, a non-profit organization teaches participants important life principles. To ensure that participants are truly receiving what they need in the best manner possible, this study was done to evaluate how well the participants understand the principles, apply the principles, and participate in the classes. The study also evaluated the efficacy of the instructors and their teaching habits. Most of the research took place in the City of Noé, a village just outside of Piura, Peru, though some data was also gathered in Iquitos and the surrounding region.

Helping The Disadvantaged: A Longitudinal Examination Of Club Participation On Behavioral Outcomes, John Whitney, Dr. Renata Forste

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This study was designed as a program assessment for school-aged youth attending Boys and Girls Clubs in the greater Salt Lake City area. The study focused on the relationship between length of membership at the club on behavioral outcomes particularly with the goal of a reduction of delinquent behaviors. The original study was designed to be a longitudinal study of club participants whereby the participant’s responses were recorded using their club ID. These IDs would be used to track how individual respondent’s attitudes and behaviors changed over the course of two years as a result of their club participation. Due …

Academic Achievement Among Immigrant Youth: Does School Matter More Than Home?, Jessica Thompson, Dr. Mikaela Dufur

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As a research team at BYU we study academic achievement and delinquency among youth. Our goal is to provide a new portrait of how investment at home and at school results in returns to children and adolescents in these areas. There is currently increased pressure on schools to be accountable for student outcomes, and No Child Left Behind ties teacher compensation and funding for schools to student achievement. But given the complexity of the processes through which student achievement is realized, will this school-centered strategy actually work? Because families play such a crucial role in promoting academic achievement, could it …

From Symbolic To Social Boundaries: The Utah Minuteman Project, Keaton Robertson, Dr. Charlie Morgan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Social movements, such as the Utah Minuteman Project (UMP) play an important role in shaping public opinion on critical immigration issues. Utah, regarded as a sanctuary state by antiillegal immigrant movements, is one of ten states that grant in-state tuition to anyone who graduates from a Utah high school without proof of residency. Furthermore, it was the first state to offer driving privilege cards to “Individuals who are unable to establish legal/lawful presence and who are ineligible for a US Social Security Number,” including undocumented immigrants. After the emergence of the Minutemen, numerous so-called “anti-immigrant” legislation has been proposed at …

Returns On Time Investment: The Impact Of Family Social Capital On A Child’S Labor Market Outcomes, Elizabeth Warnick, Dr. John Hoffmann

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The troubling trend of increasing economic inequality in the United States can be partially attributed to one’s background; every person in the United States is born with a degree of advantage or disadvantage. However, the extent to which this initial inequality affects labor market outcomes, such as income, has yet to be clearly defined. An individual’s background can be understood in terms of capital, which has been conceptualized in three ways: financial, human and social (Coleman 1988). Family financial capital is commonly measured by income, while human capital can be measured by parental education level. Social capital is a more …

Perceptions Of Somali Women On Cervical Cancer Screening, Alphaeus M. Wise, Dr. Barry L. Johnson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Somalis represent a growing group of new immigrants to Minnesota. Because of their recent immigration, there has been very little research done on their perceptions of Western medicine, in particular, preventive measures such as cervical cancer screenings. I became interested in this while working at a community clinic in Minneapolis which saw a large number of Somali patients. The physician I was working with, Dr. Tina Martin, expressed a desire to better understand the Somali patients in order to better serve them. One of the things we had observed was that Somali women showed a reluctance to Pap smears that …

Mechanisms Of The Role Of Religion In Adolescence: A Case Study Of Palestinian Youth, Lance Erickson, Dr. Brian K. Barbar

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The role of religion in adolescence has been given considerable attention in past decades. The majority of this attention has been concerned with religion as a social control mechanism (1), and therefore has focused on its relationship to adolescent deviance and drug use. Although relatively few in number, there have been some studies on more psychological outcomes such as psychological well being, self-esteem, and loneliness (1; 2; 3; 4). These studies have shown that youth who are more involved in religion are less likely to be deviant and more likely to have higher levels of psychological well-being.

A Comparison Of Statistical Software Packages In The Analysis Of Survey Sample Data, Landon Sego, Dr. Howard B. Christensen, Stephen J. Bahr

Journal of Undergraduate Research

To investigate and quantitatively document the differences between analyzing survey sample data with traditional statistical software (SAS) and with statistical software designed for the analysis of survey samples (SUDAAN).

Adult Offenders And The Family Profile Ii Scale: A Retrospective Assessment Of Prisoner And Non-Prisoner Families Of Origin, Matthew N. I. Oliver, Shirley Klein

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Past research on families consistently indicates that parents of delinquents are usually poor managers of income (1), and likely to use excessively lax or excessively strict discipline (2). Although much is known about the families of juvenile delinquents, little research has been done on adult offenders’ families of origin. The purpose of this study is to explore family of origin profiles of prisoners and non-prisoners and evaluate how those differences relate to the profile of juvenile delinquents’ family of origin. More specifically, this study explores the following hypotheses: Hypothesis 1: Non-prisoners’ families of origin will reflect more fictional financial management …

The Effects Of Employment On Women’S Life Satisfaction And Maiiital Quality, Jared L. Bleak

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The experience I had in researching and writing on the effects of employment on women’s life satisfaction and marital quality was a wonderful capstone to my education at Brigham Young University. The Research and Creative Work award I received made this experience possible. With the award I was able to decrease the number of hours I worked at my job and increase the time spent on my project. This extra time was essential in completing the research and writing the project required.

Uniting Men’S Work As Husbands And Fathers: How Men’S Marital Intimacy Influences Their Generative Development, Erin Kramer, Dr. Alan J. Hawkins

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I conducted this qualitative analysis to better understand how men care for their wives, how this care influences men’s relationships with their wives, how this care may also influence men’s relationships with their children, and how this care influences men’s personal generative development. My research was written as an undergraduate honors thesis.

Limitations On Development In Ethiopia, Charis Van Dusen Thatcher, Lynn Curtis

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Addis Ababa the 110 years old capital of Ethiopia with a population of 2.3 million emerged from local grass thatched roofed shanties to a densely populated city without planning. Congested living area with serious housing problem with poor housing conditions, poor health and sanitation facilities, shared latrines and kitchens, lack of proper drainage systems added to economic and social problems make life very difficult. It brings the urban poverty level to over 45 percent, positioning Ethiopia as the poorest or second poorest, least developed country in the world.

Autism In Romanian Orphanages, Natalie Williams, Dr. John Seggar

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Orphans in developing countries raised in social institutions often manifest extreme developmental delays. Autism is a common layman diagnosis for such children due to the pattern of their developmental delays. Most orphans raised in such situations show severe delays in language skills, social interaction, and play behavior. All three of these delays are very characteristic of the Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, deeper investigation shows autism to be a more intricate and pervasive disorder.

Psychosocial Factors Related To Mexican Immigration And Subsequent Identity Formation, Mark Mills, Lynn England

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In my research proposal, I indicated that my research had three primary objectives: 1) discover the underlying psychosocial reasons for Mexican immigration and evaluate the push/pull theory of immigration (i.e. what factors, either psychological, economic, or social, push immigrants away from their native land, and what factors pull them towards the new land), 2) discover whether the expectations of Mexican immigrants are typically met, and 3) delineate the integration and identity formation process that immigrants go through upon entering a new culture. Each of these objectives will be evaluated and examined.

Obakrowa Village Assessment, Joshua Schkrohowsky, Dr. Bruce Chadwick

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Buruli ulcer (BU), caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, has been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the leading endemic tropical diseases in West Africa (2). M. ulcerans, at the site of infection, forms a subcutaneous nodule. This nodule, unless immediately excised, leads to a progressive deteriorating cavity beneath the epidermis followed by the ulceration of the overlying skin (1).

Print Media Coverage Of The Arab/Israeli Conflict: An Arab Perspective, Kyler Kronmiller, Dr. Bruce Chadwick

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In the fifty-three years since its birth, the state of Israel has been in perpetual conflict with its Arab neighbors. On this small piece of disputed land, too many peoples compete for too little space. Both Israelis and Arabs claim religious roots and heritage in the same small piece of real estate. The original United Nations boundaries between Israel and Palestine have been altered through a succession of wars, mainly in 1948, 1967, 1973, and two intifadas.

Initial Onset Of Depression During Adolescence: An Event History Analysis, Scott A. Baldwin, Dr. John P. Hoffmann

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Depression is a common ailment in the United States, affecting approximately 10% of men and 20% of women during their lifetimes.1 Moreover, there is evidence that among adolescents rates of depression have increased over the past two to three decades.2 Studies have identified parental depression as a potential risk factor for depression among adolescents.3 Indeed, a longitudinal study by Weismann and colleagues found that the offspring of depressed parents were at high risk for major depressive disorder and other psychopathology.4

Understanding Sexual Abstinence Among Adolescent Males, David William Haas, Dr. Renata Forste

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Adolescent sexual activity is an important social issue because it is associated with other high-risk behaviors such as alcohol and substance abuse. Past studies have generally examined factors related to the initiation of sexual activity among youth, rather than modeling the factors predictive of sexual abstinence. Early sexual activity places youth at risk of premarital pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. In addition, first intercourse is influential in redefining a youth’s identity and attitudes, and is an important factor in the transition from adolescence to adulthood (Upchurch, Levy-Storms, Sucoff, & Aneheshensel, 1998). The present study of teen sexual behavior models the …

Parental Authoritativeness, Social Support And College Adjustment, Sarah Cusworth, Kelly Mccoy

Journal of Undergraduate Research

College Adjustment A factor analysis (principal component analysis, Varimax rotation method) of the 28 college adjustment questions yielded eight factors. Five of these factors closely related to the five subsections in the adjustment measure. Because the questions hung together in the analysis it was assumed that the questionnaire was a good measure of the variables we were studying. The five subsections included peer relations, faculty relations, perception of faculty concern, academic/intellectual development, and institutional/goal commitments. The factor analysis provided some interesting insights to some interrcorrelations between scales.

Project Vision: Youth Mentor Program, Brian Barber, Dr. Shawn Fletcher Dorius

Journal of Undergraduate Research

With an estimated one quarter of America’s youth between the ages of 10 and 17 exhibiting signs of high risk or dysfunctional behaviors, organizations aimed at intervention and positive socialization have flourished over the past decade. Research has shown that within these organizations a social environment approach such as the establishment of peer groups, role modeling, and pro-social behavior rehearsal are effective means of fostering lasting behavioral and attitudinal changes among troubled teens. Applying similar mentoring techniques within our own community, the needs of Provo’s at risk youth are being legitimized at Project Vision.

Adolescent Drug Use And Non-Use In Utah, Dr. Stephen Bahr, Cassandra J. Dorius

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My research objective was to obtain valid estimates of adolescent drug use in the state of Utah, including an estimate of change over the past thirteen years and a comparison with adolescent drug use across the United States.

Within The Bonds Of Marriage: Gender And Aids, Kimberley Carter Campbell, Dr. Renata Forste

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Past research on AIDS, has focused generally on high risk groups; such as homosexual men and intravenous drug users. In many of these studies the cultural and contextual facts concerning sexual interaction have been ignored (1). Few studies of AIDS have focused on heterosexual men and women and married couples. A recent announcement by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding the rise in the number of heterosexual AIDS cases, suggests a need for more research in this area. The CDC reported that as of 1993, 24% of bisexual men who died from AIDS were married. There is …

The South African Family: Attitudes Leading To Unmarried Xhosa Mothers, Oertel Sparks, Dr. Carol Ward

Journal of Undergraduate Research

To increase understanding of the family structure of one group in South Africa, I conducted this field study in East London where almost all of the blacks belong to the Xhosa tribe. Family is an important unit of socialization in all societies and is a key element to studying any culture or group of people. Through study, I found that many Xhosa women choose to be single mothers. Therefore, my research question was: Why are many Xhosa mothers choosing to remain unmarried?