Digital Commons Network^™

“It Didn’T Matter What The Bill Said...”: Influences On Abortion Policy Legislative Decision-Making In Georgia, Erica Barton, Subasri Narasimhan, Dabney P. Evans

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: In March 2019 the Georgia legislature passed HB 481 described as a “heartbeat bill”, prohibiting abortion at around six weeks gestation. Given the prevalence of anti-abortion legislation and the public health implications of abortion restrictions, we sought to understand how Georgia legislators made decisions on this early abortion ban legislation.

Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with nine legislators from the Georgia House of Representatives who participated in the 2019 legislative session. In-depth interviews were conducted in-person and over the phone. Interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and inductive codes identified. Codes focused primarily on views of: abortion in general; specific …

Parental Substance Use And Its Impact On Children’S Health And Safety. Increased Need For Collaboration And Multidisciplinary Efforts, Blerta Shehaj, Joanne Chopak-Foss

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

Covid-19 And The Urgency For Advancements In Health Equity, Ifeoluwa Kayode, Gulzar H. Shah

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

Fight Navigator: Exploring The Feasibility Of A Retaliatory Violence Prevention Program To Help Youth Manage The Code Of The Street, James Barrett, William Pollack, Elizabeth Janopaul-Naylor, Marvin So, Vincenzo Teran, Elizabeth Stilwell

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Journal

Violence remains the leading cause of injury and death for people between the ages of 15 and 24 and presents a challenge for communities of color. Better understanding of the context surrounding violence is critical in order to develop effective prevention interventions. We conducted a two-phase, qualitative, feasibility study to develop and initially evaluate a retaliatory violence program, Fight Navigator. Focus groups (n=20) and semi-structured case vignette interviews (n=20) were conducted with the target population that were analyzed using a consensual qualitative research approach. Findings suggest that participants were more likely to believe that conflicts could be resolved without violence …

The Effect Of Visual Feedback On Lumbar Spinal Mobility In Subjects With Low Back Pain, Alexandra Adams, Averi Donaldson, Katherine Hildebrandt, Philemon Miller

Clinical Sciences: Graduate Physical Therapy Capstone Projects (2008-2021)

Purpose: This study was designed to determine if visual feedback via a laser pointer would enhance quality of lumbar mobility exercise in quadruped. A secondary aim of this study was to compare mobility assessed using the valid and reliable Modified-Modified Schober Test (MMST) to mobility measured indirectly using the laser pointer.

Subjects: 69

Methods: Adult participants with no low back pain (LBP) in the previous year or back surgery were randomly assigned to one of three groups for two sessions: Control (blindfolded during both), Intervention A (blindfolded then visual feedback), or Intervention B (visual feedback then blindfolded). Baseline standing lumbar …

Editor's Letter

Wraparound South (Archived)

No abstract provided.

Sugar And Salt, Elaine Monaghan

Wraparound South (Archived)

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Covid-19 On Consumer Purchasing Activity In Georgia By County, Mekhia Freeman, Erykah Hoskins, Brett Kohler, Rylee Waldrep, Ben Cosby, Jean Vintilescu

Georgia Municipal Association Practicum (2013-2022)

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Covid-19 On Consumer Purchasing Activity By State, Pamela Goodman, Corbin Dantes-Perry, Chad Burch

Georgia Municipal Association Practicum (2013-2022)

No abstract provided.

Reliability And Validity Of Three Clinical Methods To Measure Lower Extremity Muscle Power, Mattie E. Pontiff, Li Li, Noelle G. Moreau

Health Sciences & Kinesiology: Faculty Publications

Background: Lower extremity muscle power is critical for daily activities and athletic performance in clinical populations. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of 3 clinically feasible methods to measure lower extremity muscle power during a leg press. Methods: Ten of 26 subjects performed 2 sessions of 5 submaximal leg presses separated by 3-7 days in this repeated-measures cross-sectional design; the remaining performed 1 test session. Power was calculated independently for each method [simple video, linear position transducer, and accelerometer] and compared to the reference force plate. Test-retest reliability was evaluated using intraclass correlation …

Academic Goal Orientation: New Insights And Cultural Adaptation Of Academic Goal Orientation Questionnaire Into The Turkish Language, Fuat Findikoglu, Mehmet Gurol

Georgia Educational Researcher

This study aims to review and provide new perspectives for academic goal orientation. The study introduces first chronological history of goal orientation and depicts how goal orientation evolved into a new construct in learning from the discussion on motivational factors. At first, this study isolates goal orientation from motivation and provides novel insights into goal orientation as a separated factor affecting learning. Then, this study provides analyses of the adaptation work of the academic goal orientation questionnaire into the Turkish language. The translated scale was applied to a sample of 729 undergraduate students, 376 (51.6%) of which were female and …

How Do Special Education Teachers View The Phenomenon Of Black Male Overrepresentation In Special Education?, Lelon B. Jeffers

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

As the student population in many U.S. public schools grows increasingly more diverse, the need to assess the educational practices utilized in public schools grows as well. It is imperative for educators to make a concerted effort to ensure the rights and needs of minority students are being addressed in public schools. It is the duty of educators and policy makers to protect those students who are most marginalized by society. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the phenomenon of Black male overrepresentation in special education, and to ascertain the views and perspectives of special education teachers …

Perceptions Of Local Board Of Health Effectiveness In Georgia, Amber Erickson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of the local board of health chairpersons in Georgia on their engagement in six governance functions and examining the challenges faced and facilitators perceived by local boards of health in performing the governance functions properly. Methods: For this descriptive mixed method study design, a survey was administered to all local board of health chairpersons and key informant interviews were conducted with a small selection of board of health chairpersons. Descriptive statistics were produced for recoded survey data variables and themes from qualitative data collected through the surveys and interviews …

Myelination: A Plastic Religion, Cody A. Thomas

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Plastic products are convenient, abundant and our use of them has become routine. This acceptance of

plastics’ presence has become a dogma that most humans adhere to. The continual consumption of

these single-use plastics in our daily lives has unknowingly shaped our environmental consciousness,

behaviors, and justification for them. This belief in plastics function has been strategically developed by

companies that rely on our behaviors to distribute their products. Humans have become the faithful

consumers of these goods and this belief. The brain and its ability to remain plastic and develop

decision-making skills are known as Myelination. New experiences enhance …

Service-Learning To Develop Responsiveness Among Preservice Teachers, Elizabeth S. White

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

The purpose of this study was to examine the benefits, challenges, and limitations of a service-learning project designed to promote responsiveness among PK-12 preservice teachers (N=41). The service-learning included working with children (5- to 12-year-olds) at before- and after-school programs, interviewing site staff, and developing lesson plans for the children at each site. Data sources for this study included students’ reflections and group lesson plans. Qualitative analysis showed that what constituted benefits for some students, such as connecting with children and learning classroom management, were reported as challenges for others. Additionally, students’ ideas about responsiveness in education were focused on …

Research At Georgia Southern, Georgia Southern University

Research & Economic Development

• Gullah Geechee Center Opens
• Business Innovation Group Launches BIGx Accelerator
• New Institute Established to Better Address Challenges Related to Water and Human Interactions
• Public Health Education Soars in Wake of Pandemic
• College of Education Creates Research Center Dedicated to Youth Advocacy
• Researching Salt Marsh with New Aquaponics Garden
• Support for Faculty Research

“High Schoolers’ And Middle Schoolers’ Connections In Their Schools: Relation To Tardiness, Absences, Disciplinary Referrals, And Failed Courses”, Erin D. Churchill, Margaret R. Rogers, Kimberly A. Pristawa

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Journal

The Connections Project (Pristawa,2014) is designed to assist school personnel in identifying students at-risk for social-emotional concerns by examining students’ perceptions of connectedness with adults and peers in school. Currently used in several states, schools complete the screening measure as part of their use of the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework. While many measures of connectedness are lengthy and designed for elementary grade children, the Connections measure is an efficient, straightforward assessment employed with middle school and high school aged youth and school personnel. The purpose of the current study was to examine student connectedness with adults (including advisory …

Improving Housing Services For Youth Survivors Of Sexual Exploitation: An Exploratory Study, Danielle B. Groton, Tomi Gomory

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Journal

Children who have been commercially sexually exploited are a vulnerable population, often in need of housing services. However, little is known about housing services for this population. To address this gap, the current study aims to further the understanding and knowledge about housing services for children who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) in the U.S. Through a structured online search and review of the research literature, we identified 56 programs thought to be serving children who have experienced CSE in the United States. Agencies were asked to complete a brief semi-structured survey on their services for youth who have …

Braving The Wilderness: The Quest For True Belonging And The Courage To Stand Alone – A Book Review, Chasity D. Tompkins

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Journal

Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW, flipped the script on courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy in personal and professional situations through her research, writing, and scholarship. Widely known for her TED talks on these topics, including The Power of Vulnerability over ten years ago in Houston, in 2017, Brown released “Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone”, a self-help memoir, in the United States by Random House. In this review, I provide a highlight of each chapter in relation to its use for practitioners working in community-engaged programs with urban youth at-risk.

2021 Georgia Southern University Women's Soccer Media Guide, Georgia Southern University

Women's Soccer Records

• 2021 Women's Soccer Media Guide

2021 Georgia Southern University Women's Soccer Roster, Georgia Southern University

Women's Soccer Records

• 2021 Women's Soccer Roster

2020-2021 Georgia Southern University Women's Swimming And Diving Roster, Georgia Southern University

Women's Swimming Records

• 2020-21 Swimming and Diving Roster

Deployments To Diplomas: An Examination Of Academic Motivation Among Military Dependents Using Self-Determination Theory, Meagan C. Arrastia-Chisholm, Samantha Tackett, Kelly Torres, Khushbu Patel, Jacob W. Highsmith, Kacy Mixon

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

Using self-determination theory, the academic motivation of college students from deployed military families was examined. Implementing a case study methodology, interviews with 14 college students were transcribed and coded using a theory-driven rubric to identify their needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Each case was analyzed for one’s self-determination regulatory style (external, introjected, integrated, or identified). The need for relatedness was the most prevalent in the data and the majority of cases exhibited regulatory styles consistent with introjected motivation.

Usg’S Well-Being Policy Regarding Tobacco Product Use: A Proposal For Changing From Opt-Out To Opt-In, Donald L. Ariail, Benedikt L. Quosigk

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

The University System of Georgia (USG) has a state-wide initiative aimed at increasing the well-being of faculty and staff by deincentivizing the use of tobacco products by employees who are covered by a USG healthcare plan. This incentive is positive in that aid in stopping tobacco product usage is offered to each member; and negative in that each member who is a tobacco product user is penalized. A healthcare surcharge is added to the monthly health insurance premium paid by each faculty/staff member for themselves and covered dependents over 18 years of age who are tobacco product users. The current …

2020-2021 Georgia Southern University Women's Basketball Roster, Georgia Southern University

Women's Basketball Records

• 2020-21 Women's Basketball Roster

2021 Georgia Southern University Football Roster, Georgia Southern University

Men's Football Records

• Georgia Southern University Athletics 2021 Football Roster

Ankle-Knee Initial Contact Angle And Latency To Maximum Angle Are Affected By Prolonged Run, Sydni Wilhoite, Jessica Mutchler, Barry Munkasy, Li Li

Health Sciences & Kinesiology: Faculty Publications

The initial contact and midstance angles may influence injury risk. Previous literature has not assessed these angles under the influence of new footwear for a non-exhaustive prolonged run or the relationship between the angles. To assess lower extremity kinematic changes and the relationship between kinematic parameters at initial contact and midstance with prolonged running under the influence of different types of footwear. Twelve experienced, recreational runners (6 male; 6 female; 24.8 ± 8.4 years; 70.5 ± 9.3 kg; 174.1 ± 9.7 cm) ran for 31 minutes at a self-selected pace for three testing sessions wearing maximalist, habitual, and minimalist shoes. …

Campus Recreation And Fitness Center Utilization During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Keagan Kiely, William Mase, Bridget F. Melton, Haresh Rochani Dr.

Health Sciences & Kinesiology: Faculty Publications

Background

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has far reaching effects for college students' health and physical activity behaviors. This analysis focuses on university student fitness center usage pre and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers hypothesized a reduction in fitness center utilization when comparing Fall 2019 to Fall 2020 utilization rates.

Methods

Patterns of the recreation center and fitness center utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic are compared to pre-pandemic patterns of a matched time period in the previous academic year in an observational study. Overall utilization was evaluated using secondary data from the university’s recreation center data system. Six weeks …

Flourishing After Sexual Assault: An Examination Of Self-Compassion In Women, Jessica E. Rick

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Sexual assault is a serious and increasing public health concern, which has spurred recent development of the #metoo movement (Miller, 2017; Sigurdsson, 2018). Much of the current literature and treatment emphasis focuses on how to bring survivors of sexual assault back to baseline functioning. This exclusive focus on stability models often neglects pathways by which survivors thrive and flourish following experiences with sexual violence. It is important to consider how sexual assault experiences relate to flourishing efforts. Self-compassion, or the ability to be open and non-judgmental about one’s own suffering and treat oneself with kindness in the face of pain, …

Moral Injury: Examining The Role Of Meaning Making In Veterans, Katelyn A. Mccreight

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Moral injury is a transdiagnostic process that spans a collection of symptoms similar to PTSD (Litz et al., 2009). Many veterans develop PTSD symptoms following exposure to potentially morally injurious events (pMIE) occurring in the context of war (e.g., killing an enemy combatant or accidentally killing a civilian; (Currier, Holland, & Malott, 2014; Litz et al., 2009; Purcell, Koenig, Bosch & Maguen, 2016). The potential mediating and moderating variables between moral injury and PTSD may also contribute to pMIE-related PTSD symptoms being overlooked and left untreated (Litz et al., 2009). Furthermore, while extensive research has been conducted on coping and …