Digital Commons Network^™

Academic Procrastination Among Chinese International Undergraduate Students In The United States, Yunlu Xiang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research aimed to explore academic procrastination among Chinese internationalstudents, using NVivo 12 to analyze data gathered through interviews with six participants. The study identified both internal and external factors contributing to academic procrastination, with social networking and software being the most significant external factors and disinterest and avoidance being the most significant internal factors. The participants did not identify the COVID-19 pandemic as a significant factor in academic procrastination. The study analyzed gender differences in academic procrastination among Chinese students. The pandemic had different effects on men and women, with men downplaying the concept of time and women experiencing …

Improving The Subjective Well-Being Of Autistic Youth Utilizing A Positive Psychology Intervention, Nicolette Bauermeister

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a single-case multiple-baseline design to analyze the effects of a ten-week multi-component positive psychology intervention, the Well-Being Promotion Program, on the subjective well-being of Autistic youth. This thesis addressed a gap in the literature regarding the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions when administered to Autistic middle schoolers. Three Autistic middle schoolers participated in this single-case design study. Dynamic decision-making was used to stagger intervention implementation across the three participants. Life satisfaction and positive/negative affect data were collected via a Qualtrics survey that was administered twice per week. Through visual analysis and Baseline Corrected Tau calculations, it was …

Threats To School Safety: Examining Levels Of Community Violence And Its Relation To School-Related Threats, Dorie Ross

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite significant media attention provided to school-based acts of violence, these tragic incidents are relatively rare across school environments, leading to increasing challenges in identifying students who may pose a threat. Previous approaches to school discipline, including policies such as zero tolerance, resulted in significant racial disparities among students who received disciplinary consequences inconsistent with the severity of their behaviors or threats. Alternatively, a relatively recent approach that emerged following a series of school shootings in the 1990s was school threat assessment, which focuses on prevention rather than prediction. While it is important to determine students who may pose a …

The Impacts Of Disability Policy And Its Implementation On Deaf University Students: An Applied Anthropological Approach, Tailyn Marie Osorio

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) has provided legal requirement for universities to provide accommodations for all disabled students, including deaf students. The ADA is intentionally vague to allow flexibility for how institutions implement accommodations provisions. This leads to high variability across universities. Using ethnographic data from policy analysis, semi-structured interviews and focus groups with accommodations coordinators and deaf students from a large-public university, this applied anthropological study aims to investigate the impacts of policy and policy practices on the experiences of deaf students while proposing interventions informed by the coordinators and deaf students themselves.

This study is …

A Review Of Farmers/Herders Clashes In Nigerian Environment: Consequences And The Way Forward, Timothy O. Ogunbode, Iyanu-Oluwa A. Ayodele, Victor O. Oyebamiji, Oluwatobi O. Faboro

Journal of African Conflicts and Peace Studies

A peaceful environment is a necessity for meaningful growth and development in human society. This review was thus, carried out to examine both immediate and remote causes of Fulani herdsmen/local farmers’ crises in Nigeria, its consequences and the probable way forward. The review which involved searching for both online and offline information on the theoretical basis for the crises and, also the interview of the stakeholders for hands-on information. The crises which was noted to have dated back to 1960s has resulted into loss of lives and property. Apart from this, many homes have been displaced and means of livelihood …

Voices Of Youth Born Of Genocidal Rape In Rwanda: Their Social Exclusion After 26 Years Of Genocide, Elly Musafiri, George Gona, Kenneth Ombongi, Aggee Mugabe Shyaka

Journal of African Conflicts and Peace Studies

This article explains social exclusion issues of youth born of rape during the 1994 Genocide after 26 years of genocide. Their social exclusion is exclusively related to the circumstances under which they were conceived and born and living with a neglected identity that is associated with Hutu killers. Thus, the research problem centered on their identity issue which leads to their social exclusion. The research approach was qualitative in nature where data was collected through individual interviews with 81 respondents and a review of existing literature. The study used social exclusion theory to contextualize the life experiences of the youth …

Peace And Security Challenges: Sadc And Mozambique Conflict Management, Thamsanqa Dangazela

Journal of African Conflicts and Peace Studies

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to investigate peace and security challenges in Mozambique. The paper wants to contribute to research recurrent political conflicts should be evaluated and how their effectiveness can be measured on how peace-making interventions by the Southern Africa Development Committee (SADC) in member states experiencing. Peace-making is understood as a varied approach to resolving conflicts, encompassing negotiation, diplomatic engagement, and mediation. Mediation refers to third party facilitation aimed at resolving conflicts. The main argument is that SADC mediation– which forms the core of its approach to peace-making – is not oriented towards transforming conflicts. Most, …

Assessment Of The Role Of Humanitarian Association In Addressing Social Security Issues In Ethiopia: The Case Of Mekidonina Humanitarian Association, Belay Gemeda Legesse Mr.

Journal of African Conflicts and Peace Studies

Abstract: One of the possible interventions to tackle the suffering of the elderly, mentally and physically disabled persons is an institutional caring system through local humanitarian associations. This study tries to assess the role of Mekidonian Humanitarian Association /MHA/ in addressing the social security problem of People in needs. The researcher followed exploratory research approach and employ qualitative method. Shelter, food, clothes and health problem are the major consequences of the social security problem. Policy formulation pertinent to basic social security towards elderly and physically disabled people, encouraging and supporting local humanitarian associations, awareness creation and closely working with regional …

An Analysis Of State Sex Education Policies To Explore The Inclusiveness Of School Based Sex Education, Amarah Scott

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze state policies related to sex education proposed between 2018 and 2022 to determine the extent to which sex education needs of LGBTQ youth were being addressed. Previous research has shown that, on average, both abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education curricula do not include information that is relevant to LGBTQ youth. Much of the information included in sex education curricula such as pregnancy prevention and the benefits and disadvantages of condoms are most relevant to youth who identify as heterosexual. Not receiving relevant and accurate sex education puts LGBTQ youth at risk for …

Mary Prince’S Undisciplining Lessons: Counter-Narrative And Testimonio In The History, Kerry Sinanan

ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640–1830

This essay discusses teaching The History of Mary Prince at a Hispanic Serving Institution via Ethnic Studies praxis. It develops Nicole Aljoe’s definition of Prince’s narrative as counter-story and testimonio and explores the undisciplining effects of reading Prince’s history as relevant to the lives of Borderlands students. To understand the multiple meanings of “undisciplining’ this essay draws on the theory of Sylvia Wynter and shows how Prince’s testimonio offers an alternative to Western epistemologies via communal resistance and resurgence. Several pedagogic tools are explored for teaching Prince in this way.

The Black Wanderer: Reading The Black Diaspora, Resistance, And Becoming In The History Of Mary Prince In The Classroom, Nicole Carr

ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640–1830

This paper examines The History of Mary Prince as a pedagogical tool for exploring complexities within the Black Diaspora. As Paul Gilroy’s articulations of the Black Atlantic inform my approach, Prince’s circuitous journey through the West Indies and England situates her process of becoming as one mired in longing and loss. Encouraging students to consider Prince as a wandering soul in search of not only freedom, but also solid familiar connections lays the foundation for merging her narrative with other enslaved Black people traversing countries and regions on ships against their will. Ample research material available on the survivors of …

“Before I Am Quite Forgot": Women’S Critical Literary Biography And The Future, Susan Carlile

ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640–1830

“‘Before I am Quite Forgot’: Women’s Critical Literary Biography and the Future” extends the conversation about literary “worth” in the twenty-first century as it still judges and ignores women authors of the past. Specifically, this essay explores the role of women’s literary historical biography as a primary marker of worth and as a means of shaping legacy. I also discuss my (perhaps more non-traditional) experience—both my personal circumstances and particular material conditions—writing the critical biography Charlotte Lennox: An Independent Mind. Without a substantial biography that shows the scope of Lennox’s mind, her significant corpus, and her interventions in literary history …

Reading Suffering Between The Lines: Trauma And Witnessing In Old And Middle English Literature, Anca Olguta Giorgiana Garcia

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Both literary trauma theorists and medieval literature scholars generally avoid analyzing Old and Middle English literature through the lens of trauma studies. There are multiple reasons for this reluctance, and perhaps the most elementary one is the misconception that medieval society was numb to pain because they experienced it more often than people today do. Another reason is the fact that trauma in general is seen as a product of the Industrial Revolution and of the interactions between humans and machines. Its terminology and diagnostic methods have only developed in the last two centuries, so applying modern concepts on medieval …

Initial Understanding Of Public Stigma Against Childhood Cancer Survivors, Nele Loecher

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As childhood cancer survival rates climb to new records, it is increasingly important to focus on improving the psychological wellbeing of survivors living years beyond their diagnosis. One potential contributor to psychological distress for childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) is stigma. The fear of stigma can lead to CCSs concealing their identity as a CCS, which in turn can strain workplace and intimate relationships, creating a strain on CCSs’ social and work life. Additionally, the internalization of negative stereotypes or rejection of falsely positive stereotypes around cancer can exacerbate psychological distress. To establish what stereotypes and stigma CCS might be contending …

Institutional Legacies And The Decision To Commit Genocide, Stacey M. Mitchell

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

Despite their striking similarities, which include population demographics, size, and a legacy of inter-group conflict, the collapse of democratization in Rwanda and Burundi in the early 1990s led to genocide in Rwanda and a different type of violence in Burundi. This study suggests that to better comprehend why risk factors lead to genocide in some cases and not others, focus must be placed on how these factors are perceived by those in power of the state experiencing them. This study introduces a model that uses Comparative Historical Analysis (CHA), process tracing, and the inclusion of a decision model built on …

Invisible Families, Clear Consequences: Work-Family Integration Among Employees In Same Gender Presenting Romantic Relationships, Joseph Regina

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent qualitative studies have provided evidence LGBTQ+ individuals experience unique challenges related to integrating one’s romantic partner into their work life. Informed by signaling theory, the role of work-romantic partner integration supplies (WRPIS) as a variable of interest was tested as an outcome of formal and informal signals of inclusion and as a predictor of job satisfaction, romantic relationship satisfaction, and emotional exhaustion. Hypotheses were tested using a three-timepoint survey with a sample of 138 full-time employed individuals who were currently involved in a committed same-gender presenting romantic relationship. Results provide support informal signals of inclusion relate to WRPIS and …

“We Need To Have A Place To Vent And Get Our Frustrations Out”: Addressing The Needs Of Mothering Students In Higher Education Using A Positive Deviance Framework, Melissa León

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the experiences of mothering students at four different colleges using a positive deviance (PD) framework. PD is an approach that seeks to identify positive behavioral patterns that help members of a community overcome structural barriers (Gross, et al. 2017). The Positive Deviance Framework was applied to investigate how some mothering students are successful in college and how their experiences could potentially help new or struggling mothering students. Eleven mothering students were interviewed to determine what interventions could assist mothering students who lack representation in the traditional college environment, a situation that often leads to feelings of isolation. …

The Weekly Challenger, June 8, 2023, The Weekly Challenger, Et Al

Weekly Challenger Newspaper Collection

The June 8, 2023, issue of The Weekly Challenger.

Exploring The Risk Narratives Of Transgender People Engaged In Do-It-Yourself Hormone Replacement Therapy, Brianna Rae Cusanno

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation analyzed the risk narratives of transgender people engaged in do-it- yourself hormone replacement therapy. Transgender (trans) people, those whose gender identities and/or expressions defy normative constructions of gender, experience a variety of health inequities as a consequence of systemic oppression within U.S. society. Many of the health inequities observed in trans people can be traced to structural determinants, such as discrimination at home, work, and school that results in housing, food, and social instability. Yet, medical and public health researchers have often attributed trans health inequities to “high risk” behaviors in which trans people engage.

One such behavior …

Evaluating A Behavioral Intervention For Performance Blocks In Gymnastics, Cara L. Shapiro

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a gradual exposure and thought training treatment package to increase gymnasts’ successful completion of a performance block skill. Following baseline, the researchers implemented both a thought training procedure to alter participants’ negative thoughts into positive thoughts, and a gradual exposure procedure which included gymnastics drills that were small approximations to the performance block skill. A 2-point rating scale was used to indicate successful completion of the skills: 0= refusal, 1= the participant initiated the skill but failed to complete it successfully, 2= the participant initiated the skill and completed it successfully. Rating …

An Evaluation Of Measurement Invariance Of Dsm-5 Borderline Personality Disorder Criteria Across Heterosexual, Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Adults, E. Elisa Carsten

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a robust, yet poorly understood relationship between non-heterosexual orientation and borderline personality disorder (BPD), with lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals evidencing greater BPD symptoms compared to heterosexual individuals. Recent evidence suggests possible bias in BPD diagnostic criteria leading to greater endorsement among sexual minority individuals, which hinders researchers’ ability to make valid group comparisons. The present study utilized an epidemiological sample of 35,995 men and women to evaluate the extent of differential item functioning (DIF) among BPD criteria across sexual orientation groups using a multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) approach. All criteria except affective instability and emptiness indicated …

Meeting Diverse Student Needs: An Examination Of A Physical Education Teacher Alumnus’ Culturally Responsive Teaching Beliefs And Their Enactment, Craigory V. Nieman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how one physical education teacher education (PETE) alumnus teaching in a CED urban school perceives culturally responsive teaching in physical education (PE), as well as how they enact it in their classes. Guided by culturally responsive teaching and self-efficacy, this study examined John, a physical education teacher education alumnus teaching in a CED urban elementary school. John completed the culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy scale (CRTSE; Siwatu, 2007), five semi-structured interviews, five reflection journal prompts, and eight voice memos over the course of 12 weeks. Additional data collection included text messages, emails, and …

Observed Error Monitoring As An Index Of Theory Of Mind, Kipras Varkala

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

To thrive within our social environment, we must understand and learn from those around us. Theory of Mind (ToM) refers to our ability to put ourselves in other’s shoes to comprehend what they are thinking. Observed error monitoring (OEM) refers to detecting others’ mistakes in real time, which is ultimately thought of as a mechanism that supports our learning from those mistakes without personally having committed them. Current findings suggest that both ToM and OEM are dependent on one another when engaging in social learning. We first emulate the mental state of others to understand their goals motivations. We then …

Cybersecurity: Stochastic Intensity Function And Monitoring Indicators, Hackers Demographics, Statistical Analysis And Treatment Of Ovarian Cancer, Ranju Karki

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One of the major tasks in the present day-era is securing computer systems against unauthorized access. Every year we lost millions of dollars because of cyber attacks and thousands of people suffer economically and psychologically. Rapid development in the field of information technology increases the challenges to the Information technology personnel working on protecting against cyber attacks. In cyber security, vulnerabilities and hackers play a major role. Researchers are putting in enormous efforts to develop methods and models to control vulnerabilities and psychological behavior and motivation of hackers. Our study defines two important aspects of the computer operating system concerning …

Automated Approaches To Enable Innovative Civic Applications From Citizen Generated Imagery, Hye Seon Yi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Smart governance is an area, that is increasingly becoming important, not only in advanced countries, but all across the globe. Thanks to global scale network connectivity, permeance of smart-devices of various form-factors, and overall improvement in digital literary, we are now seeing "smartness" everywhere, or if not, the general public is expecting the same. Ultimately, the goal of smart governance is to facilitate state-of-the-art technologies to improve citizens’ lives. With the ubiquity of smart phone technologies today, citizens more readily participate in collaboration with public officials for improved quality of life and their communities. By utilizing optimal tools, public officials …

Examining The Role Of Executive Functions On The Intention-Behavior Gap Of Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy Use, Becky K. Gius

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol harm reduction strategies are health behaviors that aim to minimize the likelihood or severity of consequences associated with alcohol use. Despite the demonstrated usefulness of harm reduction strategies, there is variability in who and when the strategies are used, leading to the question “if they work, why not use them all the time?” One potential explanation is a discrepancy between the intention to drink safely and actually drinking safely, termed the intention-behavior gap. It is unclear to what extent college drinkers plan on engaging in safe drinking behaviors but fail to follow through. It is plausible some drinkers have …

Do Firms Overreact To The Enactment Of Corporate Laws: Evidence From Anti-Price Gouging Laws, Mario Marshall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The enactment of state corporate laws increases attention to issues related to price fairness.I present evidence that firms become less efficient in generating margins but not revenue upon enacting anti-price gouging laws. This finding is consistent with a prediction of salience theory that increased attention to unfair pricing induces firms to adopt more conservative pricing strategies. I provide evidence that companies that are more sensitive to unfair pricing risks have larger changes in efficiency. The results are consistent with the salience theory of choice and imply that attention that corporate laws generate may substantially impact firms.

Gnsi Policy Dialogues: Hunger As A Weapon, Arman Mahmoudian, Funmi Odumosu, Tad Schnaufer Ii

GNSI Conference Reports

First GNSI Policy Dialogues Conference

May 24, 2023

University of South Florida

Investigating Risk Factors Of The Development Of Compulsive Exercise And Eating Disorder Symptoms In College Students, Madeline Palermo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Compulsive exercise (e.g., high exercise frequency combined with the inability to reduce or stop exercising) is associated with a variety of maladaptive outcomes in college students, such as quality of life impairment, body dissatisfaction, and poor physical health outcomes. Recent research suggests that compulsive exercise is highly prevalent among college students and that engagement in compulsive exercise behaviors may increase over the first year of college. Given that college is an important developmental period for establishing behavioral patterns that affect long-term health, developing effective preventative interventions for compulsive exercise among early college students is paramount. Extant cross-sectional work suggests that …

Assistive Robotic Platform For Non‐Urgent Household Tasks: A New Design, Amanda Serger, Normandy Tanguilan, Hakki Erhan Sevil

Florida Conference on Recent Advances in Robotics

Humans overcome minor household inconveniences daily without fully recognizing how challenging these tasks could be for individuals such as elderly people or people with disabilities. Those people often times struggle to complete tasks, for instance opening a door or reaching for an item, leading them to rely on caregivers for help. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this caregiver support becomes an unsafe and unreliable solution that can result in a greater risk, thus the need for another solution arises: robotic technology. Recent developments in the robotics field have paved the way for this research, aiming to design a home assistance robot …