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“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 …

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

Women's Swimming Records

• 2020-21 Swimming and Diving Roster

The Effects Of Race, Sociopolitical Attitudes, And Geographic Location On Criminal Scripts, To'meisha S. Edwards

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Recent social unrest has highlighted differences in how crime is perceived based upon the race of the perpetrator. Decades of research suggests criminality is more easily associated with racial and ethnic minorities leading to the racialization of crime. Mutz (1994) noted there are personal factors as well as impersonal factors influencing views regarding race and crime. Research suggests the strongest impersonal influence on society’s perception is the media (Gilliam et al., 2002; Umair, 2016). Therefore, the narrative of linking race and crime, which is prevalent in news media, is reinforced every time viewers tune in to their local news. Additionally, …

Working Memory Capacity Among College Students: The Role Of Gender And Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Lydia R. Bickham

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Among college students, 81.8% report experiencing at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, and approximately one third report experiencing Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) (Overstreet, Berenz, Kendler, Dick, & Amstadter, 2017). Individuals who experience PTSS may have impaired cognitive functioning when processing trauma-relevant material (Blanchette, Rutembesa, Habimana, & Caparos, 2018). An example of this is working memory capacity (WMC), which can be disrupted by affective distractors (Vytal, Cornwell, & Letkiewicz, 2013). In addition to impaired daily functioning (American Psychiatric Association (APA), 2013) those with lower cognitive performance also respond less effectively to clinical treatment options for PTSS (Wild & Gur, …

Barriers To The Acquisition Of Quality Care For Intersex Populations, Katie M. Mercer, Destiny Jordan

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

The Stressors Faced By Retail Workers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nada Elnahla, Leighann C. Neilson

AMTP Proceedings 2021

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, brick-and-mortar retail workers have been hailed as heroic frontline employees. No matter where a retail store is located or the severity of the lockdown, retail workers have many new regulations and guidelines to follow and implement in order to protect both themselves and their customers. Using a qualitative research methodology, this exploratory research focuses on how the COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting drastic changes in the retail sector are affecting the workers in North America. Four main stressors are identified: fear of the unknown, fear of infection, mistreatment by consumers, and the role of the powerless …

Undergraduate Catalog, Georgia Southern University

Undergraduate & Graduate Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Thinking Ethically About Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis: Retention In Care And Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing In A Southeastern United States Local Health Department In The Time Of Covid-19, Ellie Purdy

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Local Health Departments (LHDs) are critical providers of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention efforts. HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is an evolving public health initiative and practitioners should consider PrEP interventions in context of ethical decision-making and a broad STI prevention strategy as global incidence of bacterial STIs remains high and those at-risk for HIV are generally at-risk for other STIs. An evaluation of the Thinking Ethically framework and LHD PrEP services was performed to fill a gap in the literature and support program decision-making. A retrospective review of PrEP user medical records from a LHD …

Bias Of Rank Correlation Under A Mixture Model, Russell Land

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This thesis project will analyze the bias in mixture models when contaminated data is present. Specifically, we will analyze the relationship between the bias and the mixing proportion, p, for the rank correlation methods Spearman’s Rho and Kendall’s Tau. We will first look at the history of the two non-parametric rank correlation methods and the sample and population definitions will be introduced. Copulas will be introduced to show a few ways we can define these correlation methods. After that, mixture models will be defined and the main theorem will be stated and proved. As an example, we will apply this …

Effects Of A Suggestion Based Intervention On Human Cooperation In The Stag Hunt Game, Melvin S. Marsh

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Cooperation has been one of the most foundational aspect of human society and is frequently studied via use of “The Stag Hunt” which has been used to tease out factors which may influence cooperation. The present study is the first study to attempt to influence human cooperation by means of positive imagery. Participants included 33 males and 72 females) who listened to either an a 7-minute audio designed to encourage them to trust others or an audio designed to encourage them to trust themselves. Participants played 40 rounds of the Stag Hunt game. The total number of times the participant …

The Relationship Between Posttraumatic Growth, Social Support, And Rurality, Chelsea Thweatt

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The majority of Americans will experience a trauma in their lifetime (Kilpatrick et al., 2013). While some will experience severe negative symptoms as a result of their trauma (U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs, 2019), up to 70% of people will report positive outcomes (Calhoun & Tedeschi, 1999). Posttraumatic growth (PTG) refers to positive changes that individuals experience after a traumatic event (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004). A key way for PTG to occur is through social support (Shakespeare-Finch & Copping, 2006). Research found that the quality and the quantity of social support matter when predicting PTG (Shang et al., 2020). Specifically, …

Long-Term Disability Following A Hamstring Injury, Savannah Mclain

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

PURPOSE: Injuries to the hamstring complex are one of the most commonly seen lower extremity injuries in athletic populations. It is currently unknown how psychological or sociological factors affect an athlete after the recovery process has ended and if these factors play a role in re-injury rates relating to the hamstring. It is also unknown if athlete confidence level changes while in a fatigued state after an athlete returns to play from a hamstring injury. METHODS: Twenty-six physically active adults with and without a previous hamstring injury were recruited for this study. Participants completed a Qualtrics survey that …

Firefighters Self-Efficacy Of Injuries And Willingness To Report Injuries Within The Southeast Region Of The United States, Marissa Villafuerte

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

CONTEXT: Firefighting is a dangerous profession often leading to minor and severe injuries. Injuries range from basic first aid to fatalities. Over a third of injuries linked to muscular-skeletal injuries (MSKI). To address MSKI, the fire service has turned to preventative and rehabilitation care such as on-site health care professionals.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was 1) to understand rural firefighters' self-efficacy of injury care and willingness to report MSKIs, 2) compare on-site preventative care fire departments to traditional fire departments and 3) describe the influence of on-site self-efficacy of MSKI care and willingness to report injuries based on …

Injury Reporting Barriers Amongst Aviation Soldiers, Morgan Stanwood

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

There is a high prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries in the U.S. military which poses a major threat to military readiness. However, recent research indicates that Soldiers do not seek medical care for nearly half of their injuries. PURPOSE: Identify barriers in injury reporting using the Theory of Planned Behavior within a U.S. Army special operations aviation population. METHODS: This descriptive study utilized a self-report survey to explore injury rates, reporting rates, and perceptions of reporting behaviors. RESULTS: Of the 108 Soldiers who completed this study 77.8% experienced a MSKI in the previous 12 months and 69% sought medical care (reported …

The Relationship Between Emotion Regulation And Health Status In Southeast Rural Firefighters, Catherine G. Gallagher

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Firefighters are continuously interacting within high-stress and high physical demanding tasks. Minimal research investigates the influence of emotion regulation on health status among firefighters. PURPOSE: To determine the relationship between emotion regulation constructs and health status fitness metrics in a sample of career firefighters from southeast Georgia. METHODS: Forty-four career firefighters from southeast rural Georgia participated in a yearly fitness assessment. Body composition and fitness variables were collected. Emotion regulation was examined using the 36-item Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Survey. Inferential analysis including a Kruskal Wallis test was used to reveal differences between variables in health status (i.e., Perceived Health, …

(Un)Qualified Immunity: An Analysis On Qualified Immunity And Civilian Sentiments, Guy Hodge Ii

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Recent events involving the deaths of unarmed, African American citizens have brought forth an increased attention to the application of qualified immunity to law enforcement. This study aims to gain a civilian perspective on qualified immunity. Qualified immunity, as defined by the Supreme Court case Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 800 (1982), grants government officials performing discretionary functions immunity from civil suits unless the plaintiff shows that the official violated “clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known.” Through a national-level survey, this study captures an overall favorability of qualified immunity as well as …

"Who's The Man?" Examining The Relationships Between Black Masculinity, Perceived Social Support, And Sexual Behavior In Black Male College Students, James Thomas

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: Sexual health disparities in college-aged Black men remains a critical public health issue. Black men are likely to have an earlier sexual debut, acquire sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV at higher rates, and enter fatherhood at earlier ages than their White counterparts. Previous research has identified masculinity and perceived social support as predictors of sexual risk behavior for men in the U.S. However, when exploring masculinity’s influence on sexual behavior, studies that are culturally sensitive to Black men’s experiences and perspectives on manhood are few. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between Black masculinity, …

Epidemiology Of Concussive Injuries In Collegiate Recreational Athletics, Maddison R. Flowers

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: The epidemiology of concussion in collegiate and high school athletes has been extensively researched. Concussive injury in collegiate recreation, a less supervised sample, is limited. This preliminary study retrospectively examined the incidence and prevalence rates of concussive injuries in intramural and club sports at one institution. Methods: Injury reports were analyzed during the 2016-2019 calendar years. Concussion prevalence, incidence, and odds ratios (reported with 95% CIs) were calculated for intramural and club sports. Results: During the study period, a total of 805 injuries were reported between intramural and club sports with 111 injuries being documented as concussions. Intramural sports …

Surface, Depth And The Ephemeral Experience, Naghmeh Hachempour

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Music has long been an important medium for fulfilling and expressing emotional needs. In fact, music can become a powerful tool to create emotional responses in humans, such as happiness, sadness, awareness, as we see in recent decades in cinema, social media and advertisement. Today, a combination of different media is used to arouse our emotion and feeling, but often music has been used to accompany a visual realization, rather than vice versa. In my work I explore new modes of communication between people and sound by transfiguring music notation to a visual graphic. The scope and scale of my …

Do The Age And Drama Type Of Individuals Affect Their Perceived Social Status?, Bradly A. Mcginnis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Drama is a type of performative, interpersonal conflict where traditional victim/aggressor dynamics seen in most types of bullying does not always appear. Different personalities display different types of drama, which may have different levels of usefulness across development. I am interested in discovering whether the level of target social status changes for different drama types across the lifespan. This interaction between target social status and drama type was analyzed by a 2 x 3 design with an expected 2 x 2 interaction. Overall, there were non-significant main effects and a non-significant interaction in the 2 x 3 between subjects ANOVA. …

The Retention Of African American Male College Students In East Georgia State College, Larry R. Braddy

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study focused upon the perceptions of twenty African American male students enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at East Georgia State College regarding retention initiatives, student support services, and student engagement inside and outside the classroom. Previous research of Black male college achievement addressed almost exclusively the extent to which students were disengaged and underrepresented among college students. Utilizing an anti-deficit framework, I examined the participant’s perceptions of their pre-college socialization and readiness, including the influence of their families, peers, and educators upon their college enrollment. Also, I presented in this research the findings from the perceptions of staff, …

Supervisor Knowledge, Attitudes, And Interventions Methods Of Burnout Among Healthcare Providers, Wendy Deal

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Context: Burnout is prevalent among healthcare providers. Research has identified evidence-based intervention and preventative methods for use against burnout. There is limited research surrounding perceptions of burnout among those that supervise healthcare providers. Purpose: To explore supervisors’ knowledge, attitudes, and interventions related to burnout of healthcare providers within a hospital or clinic setting. Design: Consensual qualitative research with emergent design Methods: Eight supervisors were interviewed using a semi-structured interview approach via virtual platform. Participants were asked questions that aimed to capture supervisor perceptions of burnout. Interview transcripts were coded based on categories and themes developed through a consensus process …

Identifying Collegiate Athlete's Motivation To Continue Training In Quarantine Compared Between Sexes, Delaney A. Jamison

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: To identify the type of motivation that was most common among NCAA Division I athletes to continue training during a period of quarantine and how this differs between sexes. Methods: Male and female student-athletes from a university in the southern United States were recruited for the study. 47 participants (males = 13, females = 34) completed the Sport Motivation Scale-II (SMS-II) and Basic Needs Satisfaction in Sport Sale (BNSSS) questionnaire to determine their motivation and basic needs satisfaction during the period of imposed quarantine. Data Analysis: A Mann-Whitney-U test was calculated to determine the differences of composite intrinsic motivation …

A Research Assistant's Perceived Skillset When Utilizing Deception, Ahmad Sarris

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The use of deception in research has been a long-debated topic for several decades. Generally, research on deception has concerned its justifications, common methods, controversies, and uses inside and outside the broad field of psychology. Although the bulk of this research is typically concerned with exploring the potential drawbacks and controversies of deception on participants, the potential advantages and disadvantages to those implementing it has not been explored. More specifically, there are unanswered questions about what skills can be gained or perceived to be gained by research assistants utilizing deception. The present study explored whether deception utilization and/or the presence …

An Exploration Of Depression In African American Adults With Sickle Cell Disease: Symptoms, Coping Strategies And The Potential Benefits Of Religiosity, Delores P. Quasie-Woode

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Depressive symptoms in adults with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) often go unrecognized and untreated. SCD is one of the most common inherited hemoglobin disorders in the United States, affecting 1 in 365 African Americans. Individuals with SCD and co-morbid Depression lead to high hospitalization rates and healthcare utilization. The objective of this study is to explore depressive symptoms and preferred coping strategies among African American Adults with SCD. Furthermore, the aim is to explore the acceptability of religiosity among those who self-identify as religious.

Interviews were conducted with 30 African American adults, recruited during their hematology appointment at the Center …

The Language Of Trauma In Roxane Gay's Hunger: A Memoir Of (My) Body, Cydney Price

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This thesis uses the language and structure of Roxane Gay’s Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body, in tandem with other works of literature, to examine the relationship between Blackness, fatness, womanhood, and trauma. Among other things, this thesis attempts to draw a connection between Deborah King’s concept of multiple jeopardy and the lived experiences of several different traumas. Also, this these works to highlight the usefulness of the memoir genre as teaching tool in classrooms with students of all ages. I ague that Gay’s memoir is a subversion of the typical weight-loss memoir and is instead a social commentary on …

Southern Ways: One Girl’S Experience With Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, And Neglect, Merry Trammell

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This autobiographical inquiry will explore my own experiences with physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Using the method of currere as a lead theory. The four-step process – regressive, progressive, analytical, synthetic – helped me work towards understanding the parts of myself affected by these traumas. Investigation of my own family’s generations of abuse as well as reflecting on these experiences helped me deconstruct my own story as I search for my own meaning and purpose. This study utilized aesthetics, depth psychology, and place as central themes in this work. I learned the valued of active imagination and the role …

Influence Of Political Affiliation On Perceived Media Bias And Trustworthiness In The Covid-19 Pandemic, Tabitha Lamberth

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Partisanship and news source attribution may influence perceived media bias and trust in COVID-19 information. This study aimed to explore how the similarity liking effect relates to political identity and perceived credibility. Our main hypothesis was that individuals would find news sources that shared their political affiliation as more trustworthy than other news sources. To test our hypothesis, 216 undergraduate students participated in a study that measured participants’ trustworthiness of a news article with randomized source attribution from a liberal, conservative, and neutral source. A 2X3 ANOVA tested the relationship between our participants’ political affiliation, measured by the 12-item Social …

Evaluating The Effects Of Self-Control Depletion On Task Persistence: A Focus On The Moderating Effects Of Performance Monitoring, Hayley Houseman

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Self-control is essential in day-to-day life and has important implications for goal attainment, successful living, and psychological well-being. However, self-control is known to fail when resources are depleted physically, cognitively, or emotionally, which can lead to difficulties completing important tasks. Performance monitoring, which makes a standard salient so that people can sustain their performance while attending to their goals, might buffer the loss of self-control on task performance. Overall, the purpose of this study was to experimentally examine the effects of self-control depletion and performance monitoring on task persistence. Eighty undergraduate students were recruited to participate in the study. Participants …

Applicant Religion And Work Qualifications Impacting Hiring Decisions, William T. Cagle

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The underlying effect of religious bias towards Muslims has negatively impacted their chances of receiving equal employment opportunities. The current study attempts to observe this effect by having Christian participants pretend to be a boss of a company and asking them to evaluate a fictitious resume and rate the applicant on their suitability for the managerial job at hand. The applicants were either Christian or Muslim. Based on the justification-suppression model, we also attempted to observe the effect having different hiring qualifications had on the applicant ratings. To do this, applicants either had a high or low GPA, and they …