Digital Commons Network^™

Identifying Sociodemographic Group Changes In A Blended Family Relationship Education Program, Takoma R. Lindsay

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study evaluated if levels of change in mental health, conflict resolution, support, and companionship differed between sociodemographic groups who participated in a blended family relationship education program. Regarding individual mental health, females who were students improved more than non-students and those who had a bachelor’s or advanced degree improved more than those with a high school education or less. Male mental health across sociodemographic groups tended to be worse at posttest than baseline. Among couples, conflict improved more for those who were married and the female partner had a bachelor’s or advanced degree, were low income and female partners …

Differences In Debt Holdings And Financial Satisfaction Across Age During Covid, Loryn Elaine Law

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Access to credit has allowed many individuals to reach their own version of the American dream as credit offers them resources to improve quality of life by buying homes, purchasing automobiles, funding higher education, and financing everyday needs. However, accumulating debt may have negative impacts on their financial satisfaction. Since the 2021 wave of the National Financial Capability Study (NFCS) was collected during the COVID-19 Pandemic, this study was able to look at how financial stressors (e.g., unexpected income drops, being laid-off, difficulty paying on-going bills), financial anxiety, and financial literacy variables (e.g., subjective financial knowledge, objective financial knowledge, perceived …

An Xrf Elemental Analysis Of Prosser Molded Beads From Southwest Oregon, Michele Hoferitza

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Glass beads were brought to the North American continent by European explorers and traders beginning in the 17^th century. Native Americans quickly adopted beads as trade commodities and personal ornaments. Prosser beads were made predominately in France and Bohemia from the 1860’s to the 1970’s and can be found in archaeological contexts from coast to coast. In this study, elemental analysis using X-Ray fluorescence (XRF) technology is used to determine if there is a way to chemically discern where and when the beads were made.

Statistical analysis of three categories of elements was done to determine whether the creation …

Do Older Siblings Differentiate From Their Younger Siblings? Predictors And Longitudinal Correlates, Iliana Wilkinson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Families are a critical part of an individual's development, yet sibling influences on development are rarely studied. Siblings often share the same genetics and live in the same environment, yet many remark that they are nothing like their brothers or sisters. One proposed reason for these differences is sibling differentiation, a process by which individuals become different from their sibling in order to reduce conflict and rivalry as well as increase intimacy in the sibling relationship. To date, this process has been studied from the perspective of the younger sibling; the current study focused on older siblings. Using longitudinal data …

Online Act For Caregivers: A Longitudinal Mixed Methods Study, Jacob D. Gossner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Family caregivers for people with dementia are a resilient population operating under stressful circumstances that can put them at risk of multiple negative outcomes. Existing interventions may be difficult for family caregivers to access due to time and transportation constraints; an alternative is online, self-guided interventions that caregivers can access from their own homes. The purpose of this dissertation is to evaluate the impact of ACT for Caregivers, a six session online, self-guided program based on the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Participants had an average age of 61.93 (SD = 13.69), had been caregiving for an average …

To Pot Or Not To Pot: Understanding Technological Investment In Ceramics And Marine Mammal Oil Rendering In Kodiak, Alaska, Elizabeth Groat

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Why do groups choose to use certain technologies, but not others? This study focuses on an especially confusing instance of this question: the adoption of pottery in Kodiak, Alaska. This event was strange for two reasons. First, by AD 1500, when Alutiiq ancestors in the Kodiak Archipelago began making pottery, their neighbors on the mainland had already been doing it for centuries—so why did they wait so long? Second, pottery is also only found in the south of the islands—so why did some people use it, but not others? Whale and seal are more abundant in southern Kodiak, so one …

Linking Community-Level Food Sovereignty To Subjective Wellbeing: Framing Perspectives On Food Systems In The Upper Yakima River Basin, Alexander W. Theophilus

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Food sovereignty is a framework focused on achieving a wide range of changes in food systems that yield more equitable outcomes for consumers, workers, farmers, and future generations. Food sovereignty is also believed to be an important driver of community wellbeing. However, there is limited research linking perceptions of community-level food sovereignty to subjective wellbeing. Additionally, the complex determinants of food sovereignty are not fully understood. Through two papers linking community-level food sovereignty and subjective wellbeing, I discuss the factors that influence food sovereignty and the impact of food systems on wellbeing in Washington’s upper Yakima River Basin.

In the …

Exploring The Role Of Whiteness In Sociopolitical Development: Predictive Contexts And Trajectories, Jesiah P. Salazar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Critical consciousness is the ability to understand and challenge oppressive social systems, believe in one's power to create positive social change, and take actions toward making those changes. Sociopolitical development theory suggests that this awareness grows through a mix of social influences, opportunities for activism, and personal identity. Historically, this concept has been viewed as a way to empower youth of color to challenge systemic oppression, rather than just cope with it. Therefore, most research has focused on critical consciousness in youth of color. Recently, however, researchers have begun to explore critical consciousness among White adolescents. Using a person-centered approach, …

Short-Term Rentals: How Are They Impacting The Bear Lake Community?, Alexander Theophilus, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad

Publications

Bear Lake is a popular recreation and tourist destination split between the borders of Northeastern Utah and Southeastern Idaho. Bear Lake's beaches, watersports, and other outdoor recreation opportunities have attracted tourists for decades. Communities around Bear Lake include Garden City and Laketown, Utah, as well as Paris, Montpelier, Fish Haven, St. Charles, and Bennington, Idaho. Additionally, Bear Lake lies in close proximity to larger metropolitan areas along the Wasatch Front of Utah, such as Salt Lake City and Logan.

Never Solved, Only Outgrown: The Most Important Problem(S) Facing Utah, Thomas C. Terry

Utah People and Environment Poll (UPEP)

Nearly 90 percent of Utahans surveyed identified the most important problem (MIP) facing the state as either the environment (50%) or population growth and development (40%) in the inaugural Utah People and Environment Poll (UPEP) conducted in March-May 2023 (see Figure 1). Eleven percent of Utahns identified air quality issues – including pollution and its negative impacts – as the single largest component within the MIP environment and climate change category. According to the results of the poll, water and air pollution, affordable housing, pressure on the environment and threats to habitat boil down to “too many . . . …

Soc Proseminar - New Grad Students (Library Module), Usu Libraries

All E-Learning Resources

Attention: As of 2026 updated versions of this module will no longer be available on Digital Commons. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

This library module contains a few pages to help you get to know what library resources you have access to and strategies for using them:

• Sociology research resources
• Accessing materials
• Demography and data resources
• Organizing materials
• And more!

Mental Health In Price: A Report On Community Perspectives, Kristen Koci, Jessica Ulrich-Schad

Publications

This report is from a research project conducted at the end 2022 that focuses on mental health in Price. Dr. Kristen Koci conducted interviews in Price to understand community members’ perspectives on and factors affecting mental health in the area. Community leaders from government and local organizations were interviewed along with general community residents, for a total of 27 interviews. The report that follows summarizes themes and perspectives gathered during these interviews.

Creating, Connecting, And Communicating: A Look At Social Support For Postpartum Women, Aubrey E. Jones Phd, Diana Frankenburger Msn, Bsw, Rnc-Ob, Cce, Cls

Transforming Communities

The prevalence of postpartum depression underscores the critical need for support systems for new mothers. Virtual support groups, such as the Fourth Trimester Support Group described in this paper, represent a promising avenue for addressing these challenges and providing much-needed support. This article describes the formation, activities, and evaluation of an online support group that leverages technology to foster a sense of community for new mothers. Further, the details within the case study provide a basic model for starting a similar support group.

Who Gets To Decolonize: A Reflection On The Importance Of Positionality In The Decolonization Of Digital Learning Spaces And Learning Design, Rebecca Y. Bayeck, Tutaleni Iita Asino

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Decolonization as a term and concept gained prominence in the 20th century as new nations emerged from the cessation of the global colonial project which primarily saw European countries occupying different parts of the world. In modern times, interests in decolonization have taken different forms, particularly in learning design and digital learning spaces. In the digital space, researchers mainly suggest introducing indigenous perspectives and cultural lenses in the design of digital learning environments and the design of emerging technologies that embed indigenous perspectives (Nede, 2023). This reflexive essay discusses the importance of positionality in digital learning spaces and learning/instructional design. …

The Status Of Women Leaders In Government – State Of Utah: A 2024 Update, April Townsend, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Organizations thrive more abundantly when both men and women hold leadership roles and work together. Gender inclusivity in leadership benefits not only Utah’s businesses but also its government organizations, such as state legislatures, city councils, and state and local bureaucracies.¹

American democracy is based on the concept of representation.² Governments mirror this idea by encouraging agencies to employ a workforce that shares the demographic characteristics of the community it serves.³ In fact, the presence of a diverse public workforce “implies equal access to government positions promoting empowerment and connection with government in diverse communities, [and] can also …

Liquid Light: Ayahuasca Spirituality And The Santo Daime Tradition, Bonnie Glass-Coffin

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Liquid Light is an important addition to the growing number of published accounts that discuss the use of ayahuasca (known by the name, Daime), and its role within Santo Daime, a fundamentally Christian though highly syncretic new religious movement founded in 1930 in the Amazonian state of Acre by an Afro-Brazilian rubber tapper known to followers as Mestre Irineu. The text is a richly descriptive account of Barnard’s own evolution as a fardado (Santo Daime initiate) and includes first-hand accounts of his participation in many kinds and types of Santo Daime worship services in both the United States …

Causal Inference In Ethnographic Research: Refining Explanations With Abductive Logic, Strength Of Evidence Assessments, And Graphical Models, Jeffrey G. Snodgrass, H. J. François Dengah Ii, Seth I. Sagstetter, Katya Xinyi Zhao

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

In their classic accounts, anthropological ethnographers developed causal arguments for how specific sociocultural structures and processes shaped human thought, behavior, and experience in particular settings. Despite this history, many contemporary ethnographers avoid establishing in their work direct causal relationships between key variables in the way that, for example, quantitative research relying on experimental or longitudinal data might. As a result, ethnographers in anthropology and other fields have not advanced understandings of how to derive causal explanations from their data, which contrasts with a vibrant “causal revolution” unfolding in the broader social and behavioral sciences. Given this gap in understanding, we …

Utah State University Commencement, 2024 - Southwest Campus, Utah State University

Commencement Programs

2024 Commencement Ceremony for the Southwest campus of Utah State University.

Preparing Students For Adulthood: Comparing The Experiences Of Degree And Non-Degree Seeking Graduates, Lacee R. Boschetto, Brian K. Warnick

Applied Sciences, Technology and Education Faculty Publications

The role of secondary education is critical to preparing graduates for adulthood. This study explored the transition experiences of high school graduates and factors that impacted their preparation for adulthood. This descriptive study focused on the experiences of degree and non-degree-seeking graduates. Surveys were distributed to students enrolled in a general education course at a state university and marketing research participants not enrolled in post-secondary programs. The survey sought to identify overall preparedness, responsibilities deemed necessary to teach in high school, and influence factors that prepared them for adulthood. The overall findings displayed that graduates seeking degrees felt more prepared …

Hunting For Agriculture: Unraveling Ecological Motivations In The Transition To Farming By The Fremont Cultural Complex, Ryan Mcgrath

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study explored the profound human history shift from foraging to agriculture, focusing on Utah's Fremont cultural complex. Utilizing the Prey-Rank Model, we investigated whether dwindling encounter rates with high-rank prey prompted the Fremont's adoption of agriculture. We quantified past resource trends by analyzing the Utah archaeofaunal database to discern if ecological conditions influenced this transition. If confirmed, it suggests adaptive responses to a decline in high-ranked game led to a more resource-intensive survival strategy. This research provides crucial insights into the motivations behind the Fremont's agricultural adoption, enhancing our understanding of human-environment interactions and adaptations throughout history.

The Relationship Between Blame, Maladaptive Guilt/ Shame, Couple Communication, And Relationship Satisfaction In Pornography Users, Joshua K. Otani

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In this master’s thesis, I conducted a quantitative study using data from 190 individuals in a committed couple relationship where at least one partner is dealing with problematic pornography use to better understand the relationship of blame and maladaptive guilt/ shame with couple communication patterns and couple satisfaction. All 190 individuals independently completed an online anonymous questionnaire consisting of various quantitative assessments measuring my study variables (e.g., blame, maladaptive guilt/ shame, couple communication, couple satisfaction, problematic pornography use).

I used an individual data analysis to examine how study variables related to individual outcomes. The first analysis revealed that general blame …

Do Poor Countries Catch Up To Rich Countries? Structural Change In The World-Economy, 1816-1916, Jared Walker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Do poor countries catch up to rich countries? To answer that question, countries were divided into upper class (core), middle class (semi-periphery), and lower class (periphery) based on degree of industrialization as indicated by primary energy consumption data. Findings indicated twenty-three upward transitions and five downward transitions during the period examined. Asymmetrical upward mobility was understood in the context of geographic expansion of the system. This sufficiently increased the population of the lower class (periphery) to support larger populations in the middle class (semi-periphery) and upper class (core). Nevertheless, probability analysis indicated a stable system characterized by high levels of …

Understanding Peer Interactions In Undergraduate Engineering Education, Jack C. Elliott

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Whether they occur inside or outside the classroom, social interactions between undergraduate students play a key role in student success. As a result, engineering education researchers have sought to understand why students interact with certain peers, and which types of interactions relate to positive student outcomes. While existing studies show promising results for formal group assignments, most have been conducted in a single undergraduate course. Because important student interactions occur outside and inside courses, more research is needed to fully understand (a) why students choose to, or not to, interact with other students, and (b) how these interactions relate to …

A Content Analysis On Emotions Presented In Preschool Children's Television, Sarah Austin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Learning about emotions is an essential aspect of early childhood. Because of the increasing access to screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic, children have more resources in their environment to learn from. However, before more can be known about whether children are learning about emotions during their screen time, it is important to know how emotions are being presented to them in their online content. Therefore, this study sought to gather data regarding how four emotions (happiness, sadness, anger, fear) are portrayed verbally and nonverbally among three types of preschool television shows (entertainment, balanced, educational). A sample of 60 preschool …

Developing A Methodology For Evaluating The Sensitivity Of Rock Imagery Sites To Vandalism In Washington County, Ut, Erin C. Haycock

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study uses statistical analysis to examine the relationship between the characteristics of rock imagery (also known as rock art) sites and intentionally caused damages in Washington County, Utah. This project aims to create an index for public land managers to respond proactively to vandalism at rock imagery sites. Included here is an analysis of the severity and frequency of damage to the sites and an inventory of the types of site damage to determine the most common and destructive types of vandalism. Site attributes such as the number of figures in a panel, the type of images, and panel …

Across The Snake River Plain: Terminal Pleistocene, Early Holocene, And Early Middle Holocene Land-Use In Southeast Idaho, Jennifer Finn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The range of mobility demonstrated to overcome challenges with resource distribution is a hallmark of hunter-gatherer societies. Previous studies in southeast Idaho have investigated the possibility that precontact human movement was impacted by climatic differences. According to preliminary studies on regional obsidian toolstone conveyance, land use patterns were already changing throughout the early Holocene due to increased aridity. However, the geographical distribution of Northern Side-notched projectile points suggests a significant expansion in mobility at the early Holocene/middle Holocene transition. This thesis tests the hypothesis that precontact early middle Holocene human mobility in the study area was conditioned by environmental factors …

Nonreligious Parents' Perceptions Of The Role Religious Differences And Religious Disaffiliation Play In Family Relationships, Heather H. Kelley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The number of nonreligious Americans has steadily increased in recent years, and researchers predict that this growth will continue. Despite this growth, limited research has explored the experiences of nonreligious parents and how religious differences impact their family relationships. As such, through a qualitative analysis of 33 interviews with nonreligious couples (N=66 individuals), the current study addresses how nonreligious adults perceive the influence of religious differences on their relationships with their family of origin (i.e., parents, siblings, and extended family members) and how these religious differences impact the intergenerational relationships between nonreligious parent's family of origin and their children. Additionally, …

Wellbeing, Mental Health, And Natural Resource Dependency In Rural Utah, Kristen Rene Koci

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This dissertation examines wellbeing, mental health, and natural resource (NR) dependency in rural Utah. The following questions are asked: How do wellbeing and mental health vary throughout the state of Utah, including by rural-urban location? What concerns do applied practitioners have regarding mental health in rural parts of the state? How do chronic stress and social dislocation contribute to mental health outcomes in rural NR dependent communities in the state? Four studies were conducted to pursue these research questions.

The first two studies use data from the Utah Wellbeing Survey to explore wellbeing and mental health in Utah communities over …

Protein Residue Analysis In Archaeology: A Geological Contamination Experiment, Theresa Popp

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Protein residue analysis has been used by archaeologists for decades to explore ancient diets and hunting behaviors based on proteins deposited on tools and artifacts, however, protein contamination of buried artifacts has been assumed but lacked formal study. Through a contamination experiment testing different geological contexts (e.g. water movement and freeze-thaw), possible routes of protein contamination within soil were identified, adversely impacting protein residue analysis conducted on buried artifacts. Protein was found to move through soil in large enough concentrations to elicit positive protein residue results on sterile artifacts that never made direct contact with the protein source used in …

Building Community Through Athletic Activities, Alyssa D. Taylor

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Utah has a significant population of immigrants and refugees, which is constantly increasing. With the Cache Refugee and Immigrant Center recently recognized as an official resettlement agency, the refugee and immigrant populations are projected to grow, especially from Somalia and Syria. These families have a variety of physical, mental, emotional, and social needs. In Europe, formal athletic groups help migrant background families integrate into their communities through sport. Although research has been completed in the United States on informal soccer pickup games, no research has been done on formal groups and their ability to build community in the U.S. like …