Digital Commons Network^™

Commonwealth Times 2013-04-25

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Notions Of Spirits As Agents Of Mental Illness Among The Akan Of Ghana: A Cultural-Psychological Exploration, Annabella Opare-Henaku

Theses and Dissertations

The study explores lay conceptualizations of mental illness among the Akans of Ghana as influenced by their cultural worldview. Akan, the largest ethnic group in Ghana, is noted for the use of supernatural attributions for various health-related issues. The supernatural attributions are based on Akan ontological belief that the universe is unitary such that there is no clear distinction between physical and spiritual occurrences. This worldview guides Akans in how they deal with a wide range of issues including their mental health. Clinicians and other mental health professionals who rely solely on biomedical approaches to mental health fail to meet …

Red Bones And Earth Mothers: A Contemporary Exploration Of Colorism And Its Perception Among African American Female Adolescents, Morgan Maxwell

Theses and Dissertations

Research on colorism continues to gain momentum across several disciplines. However, while varied studies have explored the social phenomenon among adult populations, especially those of African ancestry, few have systematically investigated the extent to which African American youth are exposed to or endorse hierarchical perceptions of skin color. The current study addresses this void in colorism literature. Employing a grounded theory approach, the present investigation examines African American female adolescents’ perceptions of skin color, aiming specifically to understand the sociocultural factors that underpin and contribute to colorist socializations as well as sources of skin color messages. Five focus groups and …

Finishing On-Time: A Qualitative Examination Of Contributors To Timely Undergraduate Degree Completion, Diane Vermaaten

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the most significant factors that contributed to on-time undergraduate degree completion. On-time degree completion requires that a student complete all the requirements of their degree within 4.5 years or less. A grounded theory methodology was used to conduct the study. Narrative data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Thirty former students who completed their undergraduate degree at Virginia Commonwealth University were recruited for this study. To be eligible for the study, participants had to have completed their undergraduate degree in 4.5 years or less and graduated between 2004 and 2011. The analysis of …

Racial/Ethnic Differences In Fatality Rates From Motor Vehicle Crashes: An Analysis From A Behavioral And Cultural Perspective, Huda Hamdan

Theses and Dissertations

Ethnic/racial minorities in the United States are overrepresented in fatalities from motor vehicle crashes (MVC). Growing evidence indicates that there are differences among racial/ethnic groups in risk of involvement in fatal crashes. Based on previous research, numerous factors may be involved in high racial/ethnic fatality rates from MVCs, including failure to use safety equipment, driving while under the influence of alcohol/drug, red light running, and speeding. Using data from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) and the FR300P Police Crash Report, this project explores differences in variables associated with traffic safety behavior and traffic law obedience between non-White …

Commonwealth Times 2013-04-11

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Doctor-Patient Race Concordance In U.S. Health Disparities, Sarah Simon

Theses and Dissertations

It has been established that much of the disparity in health outcomes between blacks and whites can be explained by accounting for education and income. Once education and income have been taken into consideration, research has found racial disparities in health outcomes for low-income populations are small, and in some cases no longer significant. For middle and upper income populations, however, a significant racial disparity in health outcomes persists even after accounting for education and income. Seeking to explain this variation, I analyze the literature concerning health disparities, race and class, the prevalence and distribution of black physicians, and issues …

Commonwealth Times 2013-03-18

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Rehabilitation Service Utilization Among African American Women Living With Hiv/Aids: Using The Behavioral Model For Vulnerable Populations, Aisha Shamburger-Rousseau

Theses and Dissertations

African American women represent one of the largest groups disproportionately living with and affected by HIV/AIDS yet African American women have largely been unrepresented in the federal-state rehabilitation system. As pharmaceutical treatment options improve and individuals with HIV/AIDS are living longer and healthier lives, research exploring the appropriateness of rehabilitation services has increased. Accordingly, it has become more necessary to address the needs of this population. As the largest service provider for people with disabilities, the state-federal rehabilitation system has the potential to be a vital resource for African American women living with HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this study is …

Organizational Culture, Job Satisfaction And Turnover Intentions: The Mediating Role Of Perceived Organizational Support, David Emerson

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates how the culture of an organization is related to the job satisfaction and turnover intentions of government accountants. I show that perceived organizational support serves as a mediator between organizational culture and both turnover intentions and job satisfaction. I evaluate how cultural effects have changed over time, and assess how the relations between the hypothesized associations differ between supervisory and staff accountants. I also look for differences in how accountants and primary care nurses may perceive organizational culture. I develop the constructs of interest, describe the proposed relationships, develop hypotheses, describe the sample frame, provide a detailed …

Youth Drug Use In Turkey: A Test Of The General Strain Theory, Fatih Cipil

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the effect of strain on youth drug use in Turkey. With its many unexplored fields, Turkey is a haven for social researchers. Adolescent crime and especially drug use is an important yet poorly studied subject in Turkey. Of the many correlates of youth drug use, strain as asserted by the General Strain Theory of Agnew (1985) is chosen as the main explanatory variable in this research. Using Youth in Europe (YIE) survey data administered to a representative sample of high school students in Istanbul City, correlates of marijuana, LSD, amphetamine and ecstasy use among adolescents are analyzed …

Commonwealth Times 2013-02-14

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2013-01-24

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Marital Status And Psychological Resilience In Chronic Pain, James B. Wade, Robert P. Hart, James H. Wade, Jasmohan S. Bajaj, Donald D. Price

Psychiatry Publications

We examined the relationship between marital status and a 2-stage model of pain-related effect, consisting of pain unpleasantness and suffering. We studied 1914 chronic pain patients using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) to clarify whether marital status was a determinant factor in the emotional or ideational suffering associated with chronic pain after controlling for pain sensation intensity, age, and ethnicity. Marital status was unrelated to immediate unpleasantness (). We found a strong association with emotional suffering () but not with negative illness beliefs (). Interestingly, widowed subjects experienced significantly less frustration, fear, and anger than all other groups (married, divorced, …

The Growth Of Single-Sex Schools: Federal Policy Meets Local Needs And Interests, Katherine Cumings Mansfield

Educational Leadership Publications

Changes to Title IX allowing the growth of single-sex schools have garnered media attention promoting the benefits of separating boys and girls. Alternately, civil rights groups such as the ACLU continue to oppose any type of school segregation. Within this context, a private philanthropy, the Foundation for the Education of Young Women (FEYW) has established public-private partnerships with six Texas school districts to open all-girls’ public college prep magnet schools with plans to expand. This multi-year ethno-historical case study explores the meaning making of one community in the FEYW network as it attempts to make sense of federal policy at …

Virginia Commonwealth University Fall Commencement Program [Corrected Copy] [2013], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Menorah Review (No. 78, Winter/Spring, 2013)

Menorah Review

After the Shoah: Blackmail, Vengeance, and the Death of the Future -- Assessing Jewish Worship in the United States -- Books in Brief: New and Notable -- Claude Lanzmann's Shoah Revisited -- Israel's Leaders An Inside View -- Mission in the Diaspora: Simon Dubnov's Jewish Autonomism -- Saul And David -- The Rambam Project: Code, Marshal, Hegemony, Sanctity Of Life And Gender in the Mishneh Torah -- Valuing Cultural Differences

Menorah Review (No. 79, Summer/Fall, 2013)

Menorah Review

Authorities Without Power: The Jewish Council of Vienna During the Holocaust -- Books in Brief: New and Notable -- Cry and Wail: Jewish Suffering in Documents From Ukraine, 1918-1921 -- Moreshet: From the Sources -- Speaking of the Law -- The Jewish "Success" Story? -- The Power of the Word -- Two Poems by Richard Sherwin -- Unearthing Buried Treasures: Reading Leah Goldberg in Translation

Virginia Commonwealth University Undergraduate Bulletin Courses [2013], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Listing of undergraduate courses for 2013-2014.

Virginia Commonwealth University Fall Commencement Program [2013], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Ethnicity And Gender Comparisons Of Health Consequences In Adults With Alcohol Dependence, Karen G. Chartier, Michie N. Hesselbrock, Victor M. Hesselbrock

Social Work Publications

The moderating effects of ethnicity and gender on factors associated with physical health consequences in adults with alcohol dependence was examined using data from the 2001–2002 U.S. National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Black and White respondents with a lifetime diagnosis of DSM-IV alcohol dependence were selected for the study (n = 3,852). A multiple-group structural equation model tested ethnicity, gender, and intervening variables as predictors of physical health status in alcohol dependent men and women. Study findings offer implications for clinical practice with alcohol dependent individuals by identifying likely target groups and problems for intervention.

Genotype-Based Ancestral Background Consistently Predicts Efficacy And Side Effects Across Treatments In Catie And Star*D, Daniel E. Adkins, Renan P. Souza, Karolina A. Aberg, Shaunna L. Clark, Joseph L. Mcclay, Patrick F. Sullivan, Edwin J. C. G. Van Den Oord

Biomarker Research and Personalized Medicine Publications

Only a subset of patients will typically respond to any given prescribed drug. The time it takes clinicians to declare a treatment ineffective leaves the patient in an impaired state and at unnecessary risk for adverse drug effects. Thus, diagnostic tests robustly predicting the most effective and safe medication for each patient prior to starting pharmacotherapy would have tremendous clinical value. In this article, we evaluated the use of genetic markers to estimate ancestry as a predictive component of such diagnostic tests. We first estimated each patient’s unique mosaic of ancestral backgrounds using genome-wide SNP data collected in the Clinical …

Virginia Commonwealth University Undergraduate Bulletin [2013], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Undergraduate bulletin for Virginia Commonwealth University for the academic year 2013-2014. It includes information on academic regulations, degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, academic calendar, and tuition and expenses for undergraduate programs.

Virginia Commonwealth University Graduate And Professional Programs Bulletin [2013], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Graduate and professional programs bulletin for Virginia Commonwealth University for the academic year 2013-2014. It includes information on academic regulations, degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, academic calendar, and tuition and expenses for graduate programs.

Virginia Commonwealth University Commencement Program [2013], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Cultural Inheritance And Fertility Outcomes: An Analysis From Evolutionary And Interdisciplinary Perspectives, Li Zhang, Dudley L. Poston Jr., Michael S. Alvard, Christopher Cherry

L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Publications

Taking evolutionary and interdisciplinary perspectives, this study views the reproductive result as an evolutionary outcome that may be affected by parental characteristics through cultural inheritance. We hypothesize that inheriting more cultural traits from parents leads to a greater resemblance between fertility outcomes of the offspring and their parents. In societies that experience a demographic transition, a greater resemblance can be indicated by a higher level of fertility of the offspring and a sooner transition from union formation to childbearing. We operationalize inheriting cultural traits from parents as reporting a religious affiliation the same as those of their parents. Through analyzing …

Associations Of Occupational Attributes And Excessive Drinking, Andrew J. Barnes, Frederick J. Zimmerman

Health Policy Publications

Numerous work-related drinking mechanisms have been posited and, oftentimes, examined in isolation. We combined data from over 100 occupational attributes into several factors and tested the association of these factors with measures of alcohol use. We used the NLSY79 2006 wave, a U.S. representative sample of 6,426 workers ages 41 to 49 and the 2006 Occupational Information Network database (O*NET), a nationally representative sample of nearly 1,000 occupations. We conducted exploratory factor analysis on 119 occupational attributes and found three independent workplace characteristics – physical demands, job autonomy, and social engagement - explained the majority of the variation. We then …

Investigating Virtual Worlds, Patricia D. Sobczak

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

The global phenomena of online gaming engages millions of people, some playing over 45 hours a week - the equivalent of a second full-time job. Our children are logging over 10,000 hours of gaming time before they are 21 years old; the equivalent of the time children spend in formal classrooms from grades five through 12. Players in one of the most popular online games have logged over 5.3 million years of play time since 2004.

These statistics show that virtual worlds, including online games, have become an important component of modern culture, but their impact on society has yet …

A Documentary Narrative: The African-American Male, Rebekah Rifareal

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

I went to New York with a couple of friends of mine. We’re all artists. It was a trip through the Kinetic Imaging department. We’re in New York and we’re these black males – we felt free to do anything we wanted. We recorded ourselves spitting poetry or dancing. The idea kind of came to me: You know, I want to do a film that has that freedom, that has that feeling of not caring about a specific plot line, but that shows the aspects of who we are out there in public performance. So when I came back to …

[Review Of] Mentoring Faculty Of Color: Essays On Professional Development And Advancement In Colleges And Universities, By Dwayne Mack, Elwood D. Watson, And Michelle Madsen Camacho, Eds., Marie Sarita Gaytán

Ethnic Studies Review

Looking back at my graduate school years, the most vital mentorship I received came in the form of sometimes brutal, but often measured honesty from a small set of trusted advisors and advanced graduate students. Their guidance was critical to my journey because they talked openly about the obstacles they faced in navigating work/life balance, spoke candidly about dealing with unsupportive colleagues, and relayed freely the challenges they encountered in their attempts to gain legitimacy as academics or scholars-in-training. In short, much like the earnest insight shared by the authors of Mentoring Faculty of Color: Essays on Professional Development and …