Digital Commons Network^™

Functional Status In Older Women Diagnosed With Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Tatiana V.D. Sanses, Nicholas K. Schiltz, Bruna M. Couri, Sangeeta T. Mahajan, Holly E. Richter, David F. Warner, Jack Guralnik, Siran M. Koroukian

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Background—Functional status plays an important role in the comprehensive characterization of older adults. Functional limitations are associated with an increased risk of adverse treatment outcomes, but there is limited data on the prevalence of functional limitations in older women with pelvic floor disorders.

Objective—The aim of the study was to describe the prevalence of functional limitations based on health status in older women with pelvic organ prolapse.

Study Design—This pooled, cross-sectional study utilized data from the linked Health and Retirement Study and Medicare files between 1992 and 2008. The analysis included 890 women ≥65 years with pelvic organ prolapse. We …

A Cautionary Tale: Examining The Interplay Of Culturally Specific Risk And Resilience Factors In Indigenous Communities, Melissa L. Walls, Les B. Whitbeck, Brian E. Armenta

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Efforts to build empirical evidence for the protective effects of Indigenous cultural factors on psychological health have yielded mixed findings. We examine the interplay of previously hypothesized culturally relevant risk (discrimination, historical loss) and protective (spiritual activities) factors among Indigenous people. The sample includes 569 Indigenous adolescents (mean age = 17.23, SD = 0.88; 51.0% girls) and 563 Indigenous adult caregivers (mean age = 44.66, SD = 9.18; 77.4% women). Our central finding was that indigenous spirituality was associated with poorer psychological outcomes across several domains (depressive symptoms, anger, anxiety, somatization, and interpersonal difficulties), but observed effects were attenuated once …

Variation In Attitudes Toward Being A Mother By Race/Ethnicity And Education Among Women In The United States, Veronica Tichenor, Julia Mcquillan, Arthur L. Greil, Andrew V. Bedrous, Amy Clark, Karina M. Shreffler

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Do differences in experiences of motherhood (e.g., number of children, age at first child, and relationship type) by race/ethnicity and social class mean that attitudes toward motherhood also vary by social location? We examine attitudes toward being a mother among black, Hispanic, Asian, and white women of higher and lower socioeconomic status (SES, as measured by education). Results using the National Survey of Fertility Barriers (N = 4,796) indicate that, despite fertility differences, attitudes toward being a mother differ little between groups. White and Asian women have higher positive attitudes toward being a mother than black and Hispanic women. Only …

A New Way To Estimate The Potential Unmet Need For Infertility Services Among Women In The United States, Arthur L. Greil, Kathleen S. Slauson-Blevins, Stacy Tiemeyer, Julia Mcquillan, Karina M. Shreffler

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Background: Fewer than 50% of women who meet the medical/behavioral criteria for infertility receive medical services. Estimating the number of women who both meet the medical/behavioral criteria for infertility and who have pro-conception attitudes will allow for better estimates of the potential need and unmet need for infertility services in the United States.

Methods: The National Survey of Fertility Barriers was administered by telephone to a probability sample of 4,712 women in the United States. The sample for this analysis was 292 women who reported an experience of infertility within 3 years of the time of the interview. …

Masculinities In Cyberspace: An Analysis Of Portrayals Of Manhood In Men’S Rights Activist Websites, Rachel M. Schmitz, Emily Kazyak

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

A growth in cultural ideologies concerned with men and masculinities in contemporary American society has recently emerged. Men’s rights activist (MRA) groups embody a movement emphasizing the crisis of masculinity. Despite men’s privileged societal status, MRAs seek to establish resources for men to utilize in elevating their perceived subordinated position in society in relation to women and social minorities. Little research has systematically investigated MRAs on the Internet, which is rapidly becoming a primary source of information and social connectedness for people. Through a content analysis of the 12 most prominent MRA websites, we explore the various strategies used by …

Multi-Level Risk And Protective Factors For Substance Use Among Zambian Street Youth, Kimberly A. Tyler, Ray Handema, Rachel M. Schmitz, Francis Phiri, Kourtney S. Kuyper, Charles Wood

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Background: High rates of substance use have been reported among youth in Zambia. This is particularly concerning given that substance use is one of the biggest risk factors placing young people at risk for HIV infection. Objectives: The purpose of the current study is to examine how multilevel risk and protective factors (i.e., community, family, peers, individual) influence alcohol and marijuana use. Methods: A total of 250 street youth in Lusaka, Zambia, were interviewed in the summer of 2014 about their alcohol and marijuana use and reasons for usage. Data were analyzed using descriptive and multivariate methods. Results …

The Historical Loss Scale: Longitudinal Measurement Equivalence And Prospective Links To Anxiety Among North American Indigenous Adolescents, Brian E. Armenta, Les B. Whitbeck, Patrick Habecker

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Objectives—Thoughts of historical loss (i.e., the loss of culture, land, and people as a result of colonization) are conceptualized as a contributor to the contemporary distress experienced by North American Indigenous populations. Although discussions of historical loss and related constructs (e.g., historical trauma) are widespread within the Indigenous literature, empirical efforts to understand the consequence of historical loss are limited, partially because of the lack of valid assessments. In this study we evaluated the longitudinal measurement properties of the Historical Loss Scale (HLS)—a standardized measure that was developed to systematically examine the frequency with which Indigenous individuals think about …

God’S Case For Sex, Orit Avishai, Kelsy Burke

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

At least within western popular culture, “good sex” has seemingly won out over sexual shame and become a prerogative of modern adult life. From advice books like The Joy of Sex to TV shows like Sex in the City and popular podcasts like Savage Love, a fulfilling sex life is promoted as integral to happiness and personal fulfillment. But religious traditions are notorious for sexual rules and norms that seem to fly in the face of modern secular culture, with its emphasis on sexual expression, experimentation, and satisfaction. In fact, many observers associate the expansion of progressive sexual norms and …

Labrador Inuit Population Movements And Inequalities In The Land Claims Era, Kirk Dombrowski, Patrick Habecker, G. Robin Gauthier, Bilal Khan, Joshua Moses

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

The importance of community relocation experiences for aboriginal land claims movements is well documented; the role played by successful land claims in prompting ongoing out-migration is not. Data collected in 2011 on the lives of migrants are used to test three hypotheses: H₁, Inuit leaving the land claims area for a nearby nonaboriginal city show markedly different social outcomes based on the length of time since migration; H₂, these social outcomes map onto patterns of intergroup boundaries in their new communities; and H₃, both of these outcomes are better explained by migration patterns after …

Christians Under Covers: Evangelicals And Sexual Pleasure On The Internet, Kelsy Burke

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

American evangelicals have a rich history when it comes to promoting sexual pleasure within marriage, having drawn upon multiple mediumslike books, workshops, and radio shows-since the 1970s.4 Today, evangelicals encourage sexual expression through all of these channels, as well as through a wide range of digital media, including online sex toy stores, online message boards, blogs, podcasts, and virtual Bible studies that discuss a plethora of topics related to marital sex. The content of these digital resources reflects the ideas presented in print literature written by well-established and respected evangelical authorities, but unlike a book that is already written, the …

Social Contexts Of Infant Feeding And Infant Feeding Decisions, Ellen J. Schafer, Natalie A. Williams, Siri Digney, Marion E. Hare, Sato Ashida

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Background: Infant feeding takes place within a network of social relationships. However, the social context in which infant feeding advice is received remains underresearched.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the social contexts of infant feeding by examining individual and relationship characteristics of mothers and network members associated with advice to exclusively breastfeed, exclusively formula feed, or use a combination of breast milk and formula.

Methods: Information about 287 network members was reported by 80 low-income mothers during a one-time survey. Characteristics of relationships associated with mothers receiving advice (exclusively breastfeed/formula feed, combination feed) from each network …

‘Let’S Work Together Towards Children’S Nutrition’: Building Bridge Between Child Care Providers And Parents For Promoting Child Health, Dipti A. Dev, Courtney Byrd-Williams, Samantha Ramsay, Brent A. Mcbride, Ashleigh L. Murriel, Chrisa Arcan, Anna M. Adachi-Mejia

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Objective: To investigate childcare providers’ perspectives for communicating with parents to promote children’s nutrition and health.

Design, Setting, and Participants: In-person, semistructured interviews. Licensed center-based child care. Eighteenfull- time childcareproviders caring for children2-5 years old, 67% caring for children who pay with federal subsidy.

Outcome Measures and Analysis: Participants were selected using maximum variation purposive sampling. Interviews were conducted until saturation was achieved. NVivo, thematic analysis used to code and identify themes and meta-themes regarding providers' perspectives for parent communication.

Results: Two meta-themes emerged from providers’ responses: barriers to communication, and strategies to communication. Barriers to communication include: parents are …

Nutrition Education Resources In North Carolina–Based Head Start Preschool Programs: Administrator And Teacher Perceptions Of Availability And Use, Sarah Lisson, L. Suzanne Goodell, Dipti A. Dev, Kristi Wilkerson,, Archana V. Hegde, Virginia C. Stage

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to provide new insight into common barriers to the availability and use of nutrition education (NE) resources in Head Start preschool programs based on administrator and teacher perceptions.

Methods: In-depth, semistructured phone interviews (n = 63) were conducted with administrators (n = 31) and teachers (n = 32) from North Carolina–based Head Start programs. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed qualitatively using content analysis to identify common themes.

Results: Five emergent themes were identified within the areas of NE resource availability and use and barriers to NE resource availability and …

Does Parental Financial Assistance Assist Young Adults To Be Financially Healthy? Effects Of Parent-Child Relationship Qualities On Financial Outcomes And Happiness, Ji Hyun Kim, Julia C. Torquati

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Many parents provide financial support for young adult children (Padilla-Walker, 2012). This financial support could help or hinder young adults' financial wellbeing. This current study investigates young adults' financial outcomes (e.g., financial responsibility, money management behavior and worry about money) as mediators of the associations between qualities of parent-child relationships (e.g., closeness with father, closeness with mother, spending time with father, and spending time with mother) and young adults' overall happiness. The role of parental financial support was tested as a moderator of all significant pathways.

Data from the Transition into Adulthood data set of the 2011 Panel Study of …

Evaluation Of The Health Rocks! Program: The Association Of Youth Engagement With Program Outcomes, Yan Xia, Sarah Taylor, Maria Rosario De Guzman

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

This evaluation research examined the relationship between program process and program outcome, specifically, youth engagement in the national 4-H Council Health Rocks! program and their program outcomes. Based on program evaluation surveys completed after the program by participants, youths’ engagement in the program was associated with their gains in knowledge and skills about substance use, and personal assets related to avoiding risks. When youth participants find a program interesting, are actively engaged in the program, and find the program staff friendly, they benefit more from the program. Findings underscore the importance of engaging curriculum and friendly staff to the success …

Early Childhood Educators’ Knowledge, Beliefs, Education, Experiences, And Children’S Language- And Literacy-Learning Opportunities: What Is The Connection?, Rachel E. Schachter, Caitlin F. Spear, Shayne B. Piasta, Laura M. Justice, Jessica A.R. Logan

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

In this study, we investigated how multiple types of knowledge and beliefs, along with holding an early childhood-related degree and teaching experience, were linked to amounts of early childhood educators’ language and literacy instruction. Quantile regression was used to estimate associations between these variables along a continuum of language and literacy instruction for 222 early childhood educators. In general, low levels of language- and literacy-related instruction were observed; however, the use of quantile regression afforded unique insight into the associations of knowledge, beliefs, education, and teaching experience with instruction when levels of instruction were sufficient. These findings would not have …

Parent-Teacher Communication About Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Examination Of Collaborative Problem- Solving, Gazi F. Azad Phd, Mina Kim Med, Steven C. Marcus Phd, Susan Sheridan Phd

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Effective parent-teacher communication involves problem-solving concerns about students. Few studies have examined problem solving interactions between parents and teachers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with a particular focus on identifying communication barriers and strategies for improving them. This study examined the problem-solving behaviors of parents and teachers of children with ASD. Participants included 18 teachers and 39 parents of children with ASD. Parent-teacher dyads were prompted to discuss and provide a solution for a problem that a student experienced at home and at school. Parents and teachers also reported on their problem-solving behaviors. Results showed that parents and …

“We’Re Still Here … We’Re Not Giving Up”: Black And Latino Men’S Narratives Of Transition To Community College, Beth E. Bukoski, Deryl K. Hatch

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

Objective: This study examines masculinity in a manner commensurate with established feminist frameworks to deconstruct a patriarchal system that ill-serves both men and women. Method: We utilized standpoint theory and narrative analysis to examine longitudinal, qualitative data from first-year Black and Latino males as they transition into community college through their second semester. Findings: Positionality is critical to understanding the success of Black and Latino males and their response to institutional structures. In many instances, men leveraged normative constructions of masculinity as aids to their success, and their resilience and confidence were filtered through their perceived development into adults. Conclusion: …

The Migrant Family Man: Masculinity, Work, And Migration In Víctor Canicio’S Vida De Un Emigrante Español, Iker González-Allende

Spanish Language and Literature Papers

This article analyzes the interconnections between migration and masculinity in Vida de un emigrante español (1979), by Víctor Canicio. This novel, based on true events, tells the story of a working-class man called Pedro Nuño, who displays a traditional conception of masculinity based on the importance of the heteronormative home, procreation, and sacrifice for his family. Pedro decides to migrate to Germany to achieve a better future for his family and feel more respected as a man by earning money and accomplishing economic independence. In this way, migration enhances his sense of masculinity. On the other hand, the novel also …

Understanding Differences In Hiv/Hcv Prevalence According To Differentiated Risk Behaviors In A Sample Of Pwid In Rural Puerto Rico, Roberto Abadie, Melissa L. Welch-Lazoritz, Camila Gelpi- Acosta, Juan Carlos Reyes, Kirk Dombrowski

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Background: Blood contained in needles and injection equipment has been identified as a vector for HIV and HCV transmission among people who inject drugs (PWID). Yet, there is often a wide discrepancy in prevalence for both viruses. While microbiological differences between viruses influence prevalence, other variables associated with the way drugs are acquired and used, also play a role.

Methods: Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) methods recruited a sample of 315 current intravenous drug users in rural Puerto Rico. Information about type and frequency of use, HIV and HVC risk behaviors (sharing needles, cookers, cotton, and water), sexual behaviors, and alcohol use …

The Double Standard At Sexual Debut: Gender, Sexual Behavior And Adolescent Peer Acceptance, Derek A. Kreager, Jeremy Staff, G. Robin Gauthier, Eva S. Lefkowitz, Mark E. Feinberg

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

A sexual double standard in adolescence has important implications for sexual development and gender inequality. The present study uses longitudinal social network data (N = 914; 11–16 years of age) to test if gender moderates associations between adolescents’ sexual behaviors and peer acceptance. Consistent with a traditional sexual double standard, female adolescents who reported having sex had significant decreases in peer acceptance over time, whereas male adolescents reporting the same behavior had significant increases in peer acceptance. This pattern was observed net of respondents’ own perceived friendships, further suggesting that the social responses to sex vary by gender of …

Cyaf 382: Parenting—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Natalie A. Williams

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark portfolio summarizes the process and results of a reflective inquiry into the teaching of CYAF 382 Parenting. The primary goals of this portfolio were to: (1) refine the course to enhance participants’ experience by connecting course goals/objectives and course activities, (2) document the impact of the course of student learning outcomes, and (3) identify specific changes that can be made to enhance the learning of future students.

Adpr 450: Public Relations Theory And Strategy—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Inquiry Portfolio—"Using Crisis Simulation To Enhance Crisis Management: The Role Of Presence", Ming Wang

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

Simulation-based training (SBT) is a common pedagogical tool used in crisis management training. This paper explores the effects of a crisis simulation activity on students’ crisis management competencies. Pre- and post-test surveys indicated that students significantly improved crisis management competencies after the crisis simulation activity. Moreover, presence was found to be positively associated with crisis management competencies, suggesting that presence is critical in designing an effective simulation activity.

Pols 430: Political Communication—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Brandon Bosch

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This course portfolio was created to articulate, assess, and reflect upon my course objectives for a political communication class that I taught in Spring 2016. Of particular note was my objective in trying to use a Verbal Exam to assess student learning. Although I encountered some difficulties in implementing the Verbal Exam, students seemed to be either neutral or somewhat supportive of having a Verbal Exam, with students generally inclined to thinking that they learned something about interviews from the process and showing some mild support for them being used in other classes. It is worth noting that the Verbal …

Linguistic Construction Of Migrant Identity In U.S. Crime Reports, Theresa Catalano

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This article explores the representation of Latino migrants in U.S. crime reports. Through multidisciplinary linguistic analysis incorporating critical discourse analysis and cognitive linguistics, the author demonstrates how migrant identity is constructed linguistically in media discourse using various linguistic strategies to reveal an underlying xeno-racist discourse that serves the dominant group’s purpose of staying in power. The contribution of this paper lies in its systematic illustration of the covert nature in which this discourse is (re)produced in crime reports and the connections it can have to immigration policies and public attitudes. In addition, the aim of the paper is to serve …

Sociology Of Mass Media Syllabus, Brandon Bosch

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This class will focus on mass media representations of gender, race, class, and politics, as well as the cultural, legal, economic, and institutional factors influencing the production of media texts. We will also discuss the ways in which media audiences (not just media scholars) make sense of media texts. Types of media to be discussed include advertisements, film (including romantic comedies, drama, horror, action, and war films), news media, comic books, video games, “reality” television, and sitcoms. Due to time constraints, popular music, novels, and “new” media will receive relatively less attention. Much of the class will focus on classic …

Creating A Community Of Practice To Prevent Suicide Through Multiple Channels: Describing The Theoretical Foundations And Structured Learning Of Pc Cares, Lisa Wexler, Diane Mceachern, Gloria Difulvio, Cristine Smith, Louis F. Graham, Kirk Dombrowski

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

It is critical to develop practical, effective, ecological, and decolonizing approaches to indigenous suicide prevention and health promotion for the North American communities. The youth suicide rates in predominantly indigenous small, rural, and remote Northern communities are unacceptably high. This health disparity, however, is fairly recent, occurring over the last 50 to 100 years as communities experienced forced social, economic, and political change and intergenerational trauma. These conditions increase suicide risk and can reduce people’s access to shared protective factors and processes. In this context, it is imperative that suicide prevention includes—at its heart— decolonization, while also utilizing the “best …

Interactive Effects Within The Prototype Willingness Model: Predicting The Drinking Behavior Of Indigenous Early Adolescents, Brian E. Armenta, Les B. Whitbeck, Kari C. Gentzler

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Drawing on the Prototype/Willingness Model of Adolescent Risk Behavior we used longitudinal data collected from North American Indigenous early adolescents (ages 10–12 years) to examine the interactive effects of favorable drinker prototypes, perceived drinking norms, and past year drinking behavior on subsequent drinking behavior (i.e., drinking behavior 1 year later and growth in drinking behavior from 1–5 years later). We found that the positive association between favorable drinker prototypes and drinking one year later was strongest for adolescents who were high in past year drinking and perceived low drinking norms. The interaction pattern for growth in drinking was more complex …

Physical Disability And Increased Loneliness Among Married Older Adults: The Role Of Changing Social Relations, David F. Warner, Scott A. Adams

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Examining the social context of disablement, we investigated how changes in social relations affect loneliness among married older men and women. With longitudinal data on 914 married persons from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), we found that changes in the quality of marital and nonmarital relations moderate the effect of disability on loneliness in unexpected ways. Increases in negative marital quality buffer the effect of physical disability, while increases in nonmarital support exacerbate it. Although not predicted by existing theory, these findings are consistent with some prior work suggesting that health-related stressors, like physical disability, condition …

Gender In The Slasher Film Genre, Brandon Bosch

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

It slices, it dices, it has entertained and scared audiences for decades—it’s the slasher film. Despite being dismissed by critics, the slasher film refuses to go away. Even if you don’t go to these movies, they are hard to escape, as every Halloween at least a few trick or treaters will dress up as a character from these movies. Given the longevity and popularity of this genre, I want to spend today talking about how these films often represent gender.

Scholars have also studied slasher films, and have provided a more formal definition than the one that I just provided. …