Digital Commons Network^™

Living With An Altered Body: A Qualitative Account Of Body Image With Cancer Diagnosis And Its Treatment Among Women In Kolkata, West Bengal, India, Mehboobun Nahar Milky

The Qualitative Report

Cancer diagnosis and its treatments influence the body image of patients in addition to bodily functioning. This qualitative study explores cancer patients' experiences with their bodies following cancer diagnosis and its treatment. For this study, in-depth, semi-structured interviews with five female cancer patients were conducted in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The interviews were transcribed verbatim to include the insider’s perspective and then analysed using thematic analysis. The findings are divided into three major themes and eight sub-themes: the altered body (changed appearance, failing functional capabilities), emotional conflicts (feelings and emotions, loss of identity), and coping strategies (avoidance, clothing adjustments, social …

Appearance Teasing And Identity Formation Amongst Young Adults: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Sneha Yadav, Shagun Shagun, Koko Veerning Moyon, Divya Bhanot

The Qualitative Report

Appearance teasing (AT) is such a widespread phenomenon that to discount its meaning, impact, and severity on the lives of those who are teased would be a mistake. This study aims to explore the lived experiences of Indian youths who have been appearance-teased by their close friends and family, how they perceive it has impacted their senses of self and identity and to understand their coping strategies that help them manage the negative effects of AT. Data was collected via semi structured interviews with six young adults and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Analysis of the transcripts reveals five master …

Appalachian Adolescents In An Out-Of-School-Time Program: Examining The Role Of Social Support From Family And Friends For Coping Skills And Intellectual Risk-Taking Outcomes, Summer Kuhn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Research on young adults has emphasized the importance of social support for generating positive physical, mental, and academic outcomes. This study aims to understand the impact of social support from family and friends on coping skills and intellectual risk-taking among high school seniors participating in an Out-of-School-Time (OST) program in Appalachia. Data from the program’s annual evaluation (2014-2018) was analyzed to measure associations between perceived social support from family and friends and students’ coping skills and intellectual risk-taking. Moreover, potential differences in these associations across genders were considered. Analyses found a significant association between family-based social support and coping skills, …

Family Resilience Model: The Influence Of Cultural Identity, Coping, Family Strain, Socioeconomic Status, And Community Support To The Formation Of Family Resilience Among Batak Toba Ethnic Group, Sri Redatin Retno Pudjiati, Sri Hartati Dewi Reksodiputro, R. Urip Purwono

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

A resilient family is a family that is capable of survival, overcoming difficult challenges, and then grow stronger (Walsh, 2006). Cultural identity is one of the factors that play a role in forming family resilience, because in order to build the understanding and values of family resilience one needs to build it in accordance to local culture. The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors that build family resilience in Indonesian families, especially Batak Toba families. The measurement tool used in this study is Walsh Family Resilience Questionnaire (WFRQ) to measure family resilience (α = .879), The Responses …

Female Infertility In The United States And India: An Analysis Of Treatment Barriers And Coping Strategies, Devneet Singh

Honors Theses

This research studies barriers to accessing fertility treatment in the United States (U.S.) and India, as well as the coping strategies infertile women use. Barriers include reproductive health knowledge, cost, and politics, while coping is affected by cultural stigma, family, and religion. These two countries were chosen for their different cultural contexts, healthcare systems, and political infrastructure. Ten fertility specialists across both countries were interviewed as expert informants. Reproductive health knowledge was the most important barrier to accessing care in both countries, with similar gaps in understanding when and what type of care to utilize, though social media can educate …

Factors Associated With The Work-Related Burnout Of Residential Employees: An Examination Of Perfectionism And Coping, Autumn L. Cabell

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Employees in residential facilities face emotionally stressful situations with youth who often become physically aggressive. Exposure to physical aggression and a stressful work environment can lead to burnout in employees who work in youth residential facilities. Previous research suggests that perfectionism and coping styles are related to burnout. However, there is a gap in the literature related to the relationships between perfectionism, coping, and burnout in residential employees. Therefore, this study sought to explore the relationships among adaptive perfectionism, avoidant coping styles, and work-related burnout in (n = 69) residential employees. The results indicated that both avoidant coping styles …

Video Meetings In A Pandemic Era: Emotional Exhaustion, Stressors, And Coping, Betty J. Johnson

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

In the first quarter of 2020, societal upheavals related to the COVID-19 pandemic included employers’ work-from-home mandates and an almost overnight adoption of video meetings to replace in-person meetings no longer possible due to contagion fears and social distancing requirements. This exploratory study aimed to address, in part, the scientific knowledge gap about video meetings as a source of emotional labor. The study used mixed methods to explore three hypotheses concerning how the contemporary use of video meetings related to emotional exhaustion, stressors, and coping. Data were gathered through an online survey questionnaire. Emotional exhaustion, the dependent variable in the …

Spiritual Coping As A Mediator Of Distress And Posttraumatic Growth Among Adult Female Survivors Of Sexual Abuse By Religious Leaders, Angela R. St. Hillaire

Dissertations

Problem

Posttraumatic growth has been defined as the positive psychological and behavioral changes that come about in the aftermath of a struggle with traumatic life events. The literature notes the existence of posttraumatic growth among survivors of intimate partner violence, childhood and/or adult sexual abuse, bereavement, terrorism, and other events. This study explored posttraumatic growth in a sample of female survivors of sexual abuse by religious leaders by examining how distress, spiritual coping, and posttraumatic growth were related in this population. This study examined the mediatory role of spiritual coping between distress and posttraumatic growth.

Method

Surveys that measured spiritual …

The Never-Ending Lap, Ennica D. Jacob, Alexis Reese

Capstones

This personal film documents the journey of a Haitian-American woman dealing with sexual trauma in a culture that doesn’t speak candidly on the topic. How can women of the African- American diaspora break the cycle of sexual trauma and what are coping mechanisms to navigate their life choices with awareness?

The Never-Ending Lap will follow Ennica’s own healing process, delving delve into the cycles of sexual trauma. The film will explore past experiences through journal entries, therapy sessions and her love for track and field as she is on the road to search for coping mechanisms and healing.

Link: https://ennicajacob.myportfolio.com/videos

Examining The Long-Term Effects Of Child-Mentoring Programs On At-Risk Children, Francisco Mejia

Student Symposium

Child care remains a complicated issue, with at-risk children suffering the most. As a response child-mentoring programs have been a topic of discussion regarding their long-term impacts. My project was focused on working with and collecting data on at-risk and/or low-income children. My literature review came from multiple academic sociological studies focused on mentoring programs. My relation to the overall project was working as an intern with the community organization Big Brothers Big Sisters. The goal was to understand the impacts of mentoring programs both through research along with actual work with the organization. A key component of the research …

The Influence Of Stressful Life Events On The Development Of Type 2 Diabetes, Joshua Minks

Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between distress and the development of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the presence of established risk factors. Distress secondary to mental health disparities, stressful life events, and work conditions has been shown to promote insulin resistance and the development of T2DM.

Subjects (N=79) diagnosed with T2DM within the previous six months were recruited from SSM Health Centers and VA Medical Centers in the greater St. Louis area. They completed the Recent Life Changes Questionnaire, ENRICHD Social Support Instrument, and a demographic survey and analyses were conducted to determine differences between the veteran …

A Critical Analysis Of The Delivery Of A Psychosocial Workshop For Cancer Survivors With Lymphedema, Ryan Hamilton, Roanne Thomas, Yvonne Anisimowicz, Marquelle Piers, Renee Matte

The Qualitative Report

Secondary lymphedema is a chronic condition that can develop after the treatment of cancer and can often lead to negative psychological and social impairments. When dealing with chronic illness, hoping and coping are interdependent. Previous research has assessed the outcomes of workshops designed to enhance hope but has not examined the workshop itself to determine how those outcomes were achieved. This study deconstructs the Living Hopefully with Lymphedema workshop to identify (1) what aspects of the workshop facilitated or interfered with therapeutic progress, (2) key aspects of facilitation that contributed to the functioning of the workshop, and (3) how participants …

Finding Hope In Chaos: The Development Of A Tool To Identify Key Factors That College Students Use To Effectively Deal With Adversity, Joetta Harlow Kelly

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify techniques that could be developed into a resource for counselors and other professionals who assist college students in dealing effectively with adversity. In a series of four surveys, 200 people were asked to participate. These included professional counselors and ministers both on and off campus, as well as directors in Student Affairs, such as those in student support services and student life. To accomplish this, questionnaires were developed to identify and allow for tabulation of the counseling techniques most commonly used for students dealing with adversity by those working with college students. …

Strengths And Coping Strategies In The Life Narratives Of Sexual Minority Women, Laurie Drabble, Karen F. Trocki, Brenda Salcedo, Bobbi R. Morales, Rachael Korcha

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This study explored self-described strengths and strategies for coping with stress among sexual minority women (SMW), drawing on qualitative narratives of sexual minority and heterosexual women who were recruited from a population-based sample. In-depth follow-up qualitative telephone interviews were conducted with 48 women who had participated in the National Alcohol Survey, a U.S. population-based survey. Participants included 25 SMW and 16 matched exclusively heterosexual women. Narrative data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis and constant comparison to explore the study aim, with an emphasis on themes that diverged or that were particularly salient for SMW relative to heterosexual women. Strengths …

Parents Of War: A Grounded Theory Study Of The Experience Of Parenting Through The War Experience, Margaret Wilkie

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on experiences of refugee parents who have experienced war and displacement. There is a lack of academic research in the area of parenting and war, and this study hopes to begin to fill that gap. Research that is based on personal experiences is the ultimate guide to forming policy and programs that meet real needs. This study employed Grounded Theory methodology and in-depth interviewing to explore the questions of how parents manage to meet their own needs, the needs of their children, and overall cope with the experiences of war and displacement. Through intense analysis of interviews …

Coping With Economic Stress: A Test Of Deterioration And Stress-Suppressing Models, Suzanne Bartholomae, Jonathan Fox

Journal of Financial Therapy

Economic stress exacts many social and psychological costs on the quality of individual and family life. This study examined the relationships between objective economic stressors, personal and social coping resources, and financial strain. Two waves of data from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) were used to examine variations in the cultural utilization patterns of coping resources among whites (n=4,943), blacks (n=999), and Latinos (n=374). Structural equation modeling tested two competing models of the stress process from the life stress paradigm—the deterioration and stress-suppressing models. The stress-suppressing model was minimally supported; only one coping resource, self-efficacy, confirmed the …

Dads And Dyads: Stress And Coping When A Child Has Retinoblastoma, Rob Downie

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Child psychosocial oncology research offers limited examination of fathers’ and dyadic stress and coping. Retinoblastoma (Rb) is a rare genetic eye cancer occurring at birth or early childhood. This qualitative sociological study examines individual and dyadic stress and coping across 4 fatherhood role categories when their child is diagnosed/treated for Retinoblastoma. Using purposive sampling, 23 Canadian Rb couples and 7 unmatched parents completed individual in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Findings confirm fatherhood role identity is diverse, influenced by the current situation, elements of discourse, and cultural references. Often contested in public and private spheres, fathering roles show transitional or permanent change tied …

How Athletics Affect An Athlete’S Academic Performance, Rachel D. Cordle, Anna Forcelle

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Involvement in both a collegiate sport and education can be overwhelming and stressful and has the potential to result in sacrificed educational advancement and attainment. Due to the lack of research done concerning this topic, limited knowledge is known regarding specific stressors encountered by athletes and their coping strategies used. As a result, there is little understanding about how to best support college-level student athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to gain insight from university students as to how athletics affect their academic performance, and to battle against the stereotype of college athletes being average or just below …

Exploring The Impostor Phenomenon's Behavioral Characteristics: How Do Gay Male Leaders And Impostors Cope?, Donald B. Scott

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods case study was to explore and describe the coping skills used to overcome 9 behavioral characteristics by gay men serving in civic or nonprofit leadership roles who are identified as experiencing the impostor phenomenon (IP) by the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS; Clance, 1985).

Methodology: This study used a mixed-methods, descriptive case study approach to collect both quantitative and qualitative data about 14 study participants. Each completed the 20-question CIPS that represented the quantitative strand of the study prior to an interview that included 10 semistructured interview questions designed to collect rich, descriptive data. …

Understanding The Influence Of Stigma And Discrimination For The Functional Limitation Severity - Psychological Distress Relationship: A Stress And Coping Perspective, Robyn Lewis Brown

Sociology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Examining The Predictors Of Mental Health Outcomes Among Undergraduate Postsecondary Students In Canada, Brooke Linden, Rozzet Jurdi-Hage

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Symptoms consistent with mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression are dominant in both prevalence and in severity among North American post-secondary student populations over the past several years. This study examines undergraduate students’ self-reported symptoms consistent with two common mental illnesses in a Canadian context, and sheds light on several predictors of students’ mental health outcomes, including perceived contextual stressors, coping strategies, and perceived barriers to help seeking. Data for this investigation were obtained through the completion of self-administered questionnaires from a sample of 209 undergraduate students attending a public western Canadian university during the fall semester of 2014. …

Bullying Experiences And Resilience In Lgbtq Youth, Melinda Mccormick

Dissertations

Many young LGBTQ people are experiencing bullying which can lead to increased risk of suicide, drug abuse, and depression, as well as an increased risk of out-of-home placements in either foster care or homeless shelters. As a result of this, LGBTQ young adults are often framed as being at risk. Although this has been helpful in the past in order to raise awareness of the challenges experienced by LGBTQ young people, there is also evidence that they show resilience in response to those challenges. In order to advance the social work value of being strengths-based, this research looked for examples …

Mimicking Religion As Coping Strategy: The Emergence Of The Bell-Curve God In Singapore, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The importance placed on education and, relatedly, examinations, in many Asian societies is well known. The means adopted to cope with the stresses that come along with such intensity are myriad. It is in such contexts that the emergence of a “Bell Curve God” in Singapore must be understood.

Taking One Step At A Time: Understanding Pulmonary Hypertension Through The Voices Of The Patients, Renae J. Mohammed

Sociology Major Research Papers

This paper presents and discusses the findings of a qualitative thematic analysis of interviews with eight Pulmonary Hypertension patients who discussed their illness experiences. This is an important topic to research, as Pulmonary Hypertension is a rare, invisible and potentially terminal illness about which little substantive research in both the medical and social scientific fields has been done. The diagnosis experience, day-today life, and resilience and coping are the three dominant themes found in these interviews. The analysis of these themes indicates that the participants in this study who are living with Pulmonary Hypertension have been able to maintain a …

Lived Experience Of Young Widowed Individuals, Eunicia Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Young widowhood is a unique experience that has received little in-depth attention in research and clinical settings. Their experiences may differ from other types of losses, particularly from losses that are typically expected to happen later in life. The present study treated the lived experiences of young men and women who have experiences the loss of a spouse. Eleven men and women between the ages of 18 and 49 were interviewed about their experiences post-loss using phenomenological methods. After coding for similarities and differences between the experiences, five themes emerged in all eleven interviews: (1) relationship, (2) first reactions, (3) …

Structured Interviews Examining The Burden, Coping, Self-Efficacy, And Quality Of Life Among Family Caregivers Of Persons With Dementia In Singapore, Peter Kay Chai Tay, Chuen Chai Dennis Seow, Chunxiang Xiao, Hui Min Julian Lee, Helen Chiu, Sally Wai-Chi Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Dementia is a global health issue and the effects on caregivers are substantial. The study aimed to examine the associations of burden, coping, self-efficacy with quality of life among family caregivers of persons with dementia in Singapore. Structured interviews were conducted in a convenience sample of 84 family caregivers caring and seeking clinical care for the persons with dementia in an outpatient clinic of a public hospital in Singapore. The outcome measures included the Family Burden Interview Schedule, Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale, General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale, and World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale – Brief Version. In …

Culture And Coping: A Qualitative Study Of A Sri Lankan Village Post Tsunami, Charlotte Nirmalani Gunawardena, Damien Sanchez, Piyadasa Kodituwakku, Michael Hollifield, Chandanie Hewage, Kalum Bopagoda, Krishantha Weerarathnege

University Libraries & Learning Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

On the tenth anniversary of the Tsunami on December 26, 2014, Sri Lankan newspapers highlighted the issues that still prevail in Peraliya and other tsunami affected regions in Sri Lanka such as unresolved housing problems, displacement from homes near the ocean, poor infrastructure, and loss of livelihood (Hussain, December 26, 2014, p. AA1), and at the same time commemorated “the resilience of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children who rose from the debris and the carnage, picked up the pieces and soldiered on amidst the tears and the pain” (Editorial, Sunday Times, December 21, 2014, p. 12). A …

Womanist Preservation: An Analysis Of Black Women’S Spiritual Coping, Angelina Graham

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

The highly spiritual and religious nature of Black women is fairly established in the social science arena, yet the transpersonal field yields very little discourse on this relevant nexus. This static void resembles the macro and micro aggressions Black women face routinely in the Western world which perpetually diminishes and nullifies their collective character and lived experiences. The ostracism Black women face regularly stems primarily from the triple threat of racism, sexism and socioeconomic status which thereby stimulates the inherent and roused use of spiritual practices as a form of resiliency. By analyzing existing research this investigation exposes the experiences, …

Coping And Adjustment Of Spouses Of International Students At South Dakota State University, Elizabeth Nayebare

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research investigated acculturation of female spouses of international students to life in Brookings, specifically, how they cope and adjust. It was guided by the following questions: what are the socio-economic and cultural attributes of female spouses, and how do they impact their ability to cope and adjust to life in Brookings; what strategies and activities do spouses of international students rely on or develop in order to adjust and cope with life in the United States (Brookings); and what are the processes and experiences of coping and adjustment among spouses of different professional and cultural backgrounds? The investigation was …

Linking Discrimination To Health: Does Coping Matter For The Mental Health Of Black Men And Women?, Calley Fisk

Theses and Dissertations

Efforts to explain the negative association between discrimination and mental health have examined psychosocial responses to discrimination, such as coping responses or resources. However, there is limited research on how these coping strategies affect the discrimination-health relationship among Black Americans. Using data from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), the present study examines the effect of perceived discrimination on depressive symptoms separately for men and women and tests the mediating and moderating influences of five coping strategies on this relationship. Results suggest that social support partially mediates the negative association between discrimination and mental health for men and women. …