Digital Commons Network^™

Longitudinal Patterns Of Depression Symptoms Among Emerging Adults, Sarah W. Clark

Theses and Dissertations

Research has suggested that depression symptoms generally decrease after late adolescence; however, there is increasing attention paid to depression symptoms among college students given the stressors unique to this time period and negative outcomes associated with depression. This study examined latent trajectories of depression symptom severity among college students. Participants were 9,889 college students who participated in the Spit for Science project (Dick et al., 2011). Growth Mixture Modeling was used to identify the presence of four subgroups of individuals with similar patterns of initial level and change in depression severity over four years of college, including Low/Minimal (55.9%), Decreasing …

Between The Lines, Yu Su

Theses and Dissertations

Belonging comes from the act of active listening that goes beyond borders of nationality, gender, race, sexuality, beyond the first glance. Listening creates a bond of trust that helps us find understanding and compassion.

I feel I belong when I am listening and being listened to, when both ends extend towards the other and meet half way, when neither part is afraid. I belong thanks to my friends that together have helped me create a home in a multitude of displacement.

Look, listen. Look beyond the images, listen between the lines.

Loneliness And Sleep Disturbance In Older Americans, Sarah C. Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

Loneliness is a risk factor for premature mortality but the mechanics of this relationship remain obscure. A potential mechanism is sleep disturbance. The present study aimed to examine the association between loneliness and sleep disturbance, evaluate loneliness as a risk factor for sleep disturbance and vice-versa, model effects between loneliness and sleep disturbance over time, and evaluate a mediation model of loneliness, sleep disturbance, and health. Data came from the 2006-2012 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally-representative study of older Americans; participants > 65 were included (n=11,400). Analyses included (i) linear regressions accounting for complex sampling and (ii) …

Examining Biobehavioral Variables And Predictors Associated With Type 2 Diabetes Self- Management, Karin A. Emery

Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes mellitus self-management is a challenging process that brings forward a variety of emotional responses. The purpose of this work was to explore relationships between diabetes distress, self-efficacy and resilience and outcomes of glycosylated hemoglobin, quality of life and health status. A cross sectional descriptive design was used for this pilot study of 78 individuals enrolled from an Endocrine clinic in the Midwest United States and a Primary Care clinic in the southeast United States.

Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to characterize the sample and model variables. Spearman’s correlation was completed to identify relationships among variables. A …

Latent Growth Model Approach To Characterize Maternal Prenatal Dna Methylation Trajectories, Dana Lapato

Theses and Dissertations

Background. DNA methylation (DNAm) is a removable chemical modification to the DNA sequence intimately associated with genomic stability, cellular identity, and gene expression. DNAm patterning reflects joint contributions from genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors. As such, differences in DNAm patterns may explain interindividual variability in risk liability for complex traits like major depression (MD). Hundreds of significant DNAm loci have been identified using cross-sectional association studies. This dissertation builds on that foundational work to explore novel statistical approaches for longitudinal DNAm analyses. Methods. Repeated measures of genome-wide DNAm and social and environmental determinants of health were collected up to six …

Effects Of Practice-Based Coaching Intervention On Preschool Teachers’ Responses To Black Boys’ Negative Emotion Expression, Evandra Catherine

Theses and Dissertations

Current research indicates that caregivers’ responses and behaviors to young children’s emotion expressions communicate messages that teach young children how to understand, label, recognize and modify emotions in socially desirable ways. This process is referred to as emotion socialization. This topic is timely and relevant due to the large numbers of preschoolers suspended and expelled each year. Several reports indicate that 50,000 preschoolers are suspended each year and that Black boys are the largest recipients of such actions. Black boys comprise just 19% of preschool enrollment, but 45% of male suspensions. In addition, data show that preschool teachers expect challenging …

University President Compensation: A Complex Examination Of Its Determinants And Consequences, Sheila Keener

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the controversy surrounding the high levels of compensation paid to university presidents. To do this, the first half of this dissertation includes a systematic review of the existing literature regarding the relation between university performance and university president compensation in nonprofit universities. The second half of this dissertation attempts to replicate the findings from the systematic review with more current data. Several gaps identified in the literature, including the effects of analyzing specific compensation components, the effect of university president compensation on subsequent university performance, potential nonlinear relations, and how relations between university performance and university president …

Predictors Of Employment In A Treatment Sample Of Individuals With Substance Use Disorders, Enkelejda Ngjelina

Theses and Dissertations

Efforts to increase employment rates through vocational skills training and job interview skills development have yielded mixed results. While initial studies of Job Seekers Workshop (JSW) found greater employment success for participants randomized to JSW as compared to a control condition (Hall, Loeb & Norton, 1977), a more recent Clinical Trials Network (CTN) study found no differences in employment outcomes between the JSW and control groups and the rate of employment overall was substantively lower than those reported in the early studies (Svikis et al., 2012). To better understand these discrepant findings, the present study conducted secondary analyses using the …

Conceptualization Of Body Image And Eating Disorders Among South Asian American Women: A Qualitative Investigation, Neha J. Goel

Theses and Dissertations

Though it is known that eating disorders (EDs) affect individuals of all racial/ethnic backgrounds (Cheng, Perko, Fuller-Marashi, Gau, & Stice, 2019), people of color tend to be overlooked in the ED literature. South Asian Americans, a specific subset of individuals traditionally categorized within the larger umbrella group of “Asians,” have been notoriously neglected in both the broader mental health literature, and in the ED literature (Inman, Devdas, Spektor, & Pendse, 2014; Iyer & Haslam, 2003, 2006). Currently, very little information exists on the etiology and presentation of EDs amongst South Asian communities. Even less is known about culturally-specific barriers to …

Moral Professional Agency: A Framework For Exploring Teachers’ Constructions Of Professionalism Within A Democratic Space, Brionna C. Nomi

Theses and Dissertations

Despite long-standing debates about the nature of professions and professionalism related to teaching, little consensus has been reached due in large part to an ever-changing political climate and a number of competing ideologies and interests (Bair, 2014; Hargreaves & Goodson, 1996). This lack of consensus fosters variable expectations of teachers, creating opportunities for the generation and implementation of initiatives that ultimately control and undermine teachers’ work (Ingersoll, 2003). While the quality of our nation’s education system depends on teachers' capacity to have professional input regarding their work, concepts of teacher agency and professionalism remain ill-defined, and few studies explore teachers’ …

A Longitudinal Study Of The Stress-Buffering Effects Of Romantic Relationships On Alcohol Outcomes In College Students Exposed To Trauma, Rebecca L. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined interplay between interpersonal trauma (IPT), relationship status, relationship satisfaction (SAT), and partner substance use (PSU), and whether these relationship dimensions moderated associations between IPT and alcohol outcomes. Data came from a longitudinal study of college students (N=9,911; 61%female; 49%White). Precollege IPT increased the likelihood of being in a relationship, while college-onset IPT decreased the likelihood. IPT predicted lower SAT and higher PSU. Individuals with precollege IPT consumed more alcohol than those without IPT, but this was mitigated for those in relationships. Individuals with college-onset IPT consumed more alcohol than those without IPT, and this was …

Mathematics Identity Construction In Successful African Americans: Reflections On Mathematics Experiences During Adolescence, Teri N. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This project used narrative inquiry to examine adolescent experiences that contributed to the development of positive mathematics identities in successful African Americans. Ten African Americans, who had worked in a STEM-related occupation for at least two years, were asked to reflect on in- and out-of-school experiences with mathematics during their middle and high school years. Data collection included individual interviews and one focus group discussion. A combination of internal and external factors emerged as contributors to participants’ adolescent mathematics identities. Internal factors included early career interest, finding enjoyment in the challenges associated with learning mathematics, or facing setbacks they were …

Why They Stay: Factors Contributing To Second Stage Teachers' Decisions To Remain In Teaching Profession, Samantha Hope

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher attrition, particularly in hard-to-staff urban schools, is a problem addressed by many researchers. Although this research often focuses on novice teachers, those with three or fewer years of experience, there is a growing body of literature that examines second stage teachers, those with between four and 20 years of experience. Like their novice colleagues, these second stage teachers are also at risk of leaving the profession, which can have negative consequences for students. While much of the research focuses on reasons why teachers leave the profession, there is a growing interest in understanding how teachers reach the decision to …

An Evaluation Of Differences In Motivations To Receive Cervical Cancer Screening And Follow-Up Care Between Black And White Women, Ashlee Sawyer

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Cervical cancer among Black women is a major individual and public health concern. Despite advancements in medical technology and policy, disparities in cervical cancer diagnosis and mortality still exist between White and Black women, with Black women having higher rates of diagnosis (10.0 vs 7.1 per 100,000) and mortality (4.1 vs 2.0 per 100,000). Previous studies have focused heavily on barriers to obtaining cervical cancer screening among Black women and efforts to improve screening rates. Despite speculation by researchers that gaps in receipt of quality follow-up care may contribute to disparities, its role in disparate mortality rates between Black …

Predictors Of Experimental And Control Group Attendance: Findings From An Hiv/Std Prevention Rct With Pregnant Women At Risk For Substance Use, Jaclyn S. Sadicario

Theses and Dissertations

Efforts to improve inclusion in research have included mandating the recruitment of ethnic minorities and women into NIH funded studies. However, little research has been completed on who attends such interventions. This is particularly worrisome in populations for which attendance to interventions can have dire consequences. HIV is a public health concern for pregnant women in substance using communities, as pregnant women are much less likely to use condoms during intercourse to prevent HIV. Group modular HIV prevention interventions have long been the standard for HIV prevention. However, little attention in research on HIV prevention interventions RCTs has been focused …

Translational Insights Into The Genetic Etiology Of Mental Health Disorders: Examining Risk Factor Models, Neuroimaging, And Current Dissemination Practices, Jessica L. Bourdon

Theses and Dissertations

Psychiatric genetics is a basic science field that has potential for practical application and effective translation. To date, translational frameworks utilized by this field have been linear (e.g., sequential) in nature, focusing on molecular genetic information. It is proposed that non-linear (e.g., socio-ecological) frameworks are a better way to immediately translate non-molecular genetic information. This dissertation explored the translation of psychiatric genetic information in two ways. First, a survey was sent to academic stakeholders to assess the state of the science regarding the translation of genetic information to the clinical care of mental health disorders. Findings from this indicate a …

Understanding Effectiveness Of A Diverse Board In The Nonprofit Sector: The Role Of Board Inclusion & Critical Mass Of The Diverse Board Members, Suparna Dutta

Theses and Dissertations

Using rated responses from nonprofit CEOs who participated in the 2016 BoardSource national survey, this study investigates whether nonprofit board inclusive behavior or board inclusive practices are positively correlated with nonprofit board effectiveness. It further examines whether a critical mass of racial and ethnic minority or women board members may moderate the relationship stated above. To answer these questions, the study tested six hypotheses using principal component analysis, followed by hierarchical regression analysis, and found no evidence of statistical significance in main or moderator effects. The study recommends that policymakers should frame policies that ensure mandatory quotas for women and …

Elementary Teachers' Definitions And Usage Of Inquiry-Based Mathematics Instruction, Heather Nunnally

Theses and Dissertations

Current educational leaders call for students to build his or her own mathematical understanding from experiences, coupled with feedback from peers, teachers, and themselves and gain a conceptual understanding of mathematics. Researchers agree that inquiry in the elementary mathematics classroom can help increase conceptual understanding.

This case study focused on how elementary teachers define inquiry-based mathematics and implement it in their classrooms. Interviews, observations and lesson analysis were used to investigate what identities, relationships and activities look like in an elementary classroom that uses inquiry.

All of the participants felt "problem solving" and "working collaboratively" were essential for inquiry but …

A Contextual Approach To Understanding Psychiatric Comorbidities In Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Individual, Peer, And Family Factors, Jessica L. Greenlee

Theses and Dissertations

Psychiatric comorbidities are common in youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and can have a negative impact on adaptive functioning and quality of life. Research has primarily focused on individual characteristics associated with internalizing problems such as age, intelligence, and social functioning. However, developmental theory supports the notion that individual level factors are necessary but not sufficient to understand the mental health of youth with ASD. Using the Family Ecology Framework as a guide, the purpose of this study was to examine how peer and family contexts are associated with anxiety and depression symptoms of adolescents with ASD. Using data …

Dark On Campus: A Phenomenological Study Of Being A Dark-Skinned Black College Student, Kiara Lee

Theses and Dissertations

As recent research finally starts to recognize colorism, a form of discrimination where light skin is valued over dark skin within an ethnic group, as a legitimate form of discrimination in the Black community, research on colorism in higher education still wanes. A limited amount of scholarship focuses on the manifestation of colorism in education and even less research examines the implications of complexion on Black college students and their intersectional identities. As empirical studies describe how complexion often denotes institutional degradation for dark-skinned Black students in K-12 and beyond -- from teacher perceptions, to the school-to-prison pipeline, to social …

Critical Race Examination Of Educator Perceptions Of Discipline And School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports, Michael J. Massey

Theses and Dissertations

School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is a school disciplinary framework seen as an effective tool to replace school disciplinary practices that contribute to the school to prison pipeline (STPP). While evidence suggests that SWPBIS can help improve school discipline and lower suspension/expulsion rates, it has not been shown to consistently decrease racial disciplinary disparities. This study thematically analyzed semi-structured interviews of educational staff at one high school at the outset of SWPBIS implementation to understand their perceptions of school discipline and the potential for SWPBIS to address root causes of racial disciplinary disproportionality. Using a critical race theory …

Dramatic Themes: Active Learning And Thematic Teaching In The Theatre History Classroom, Brandon Lareau

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores major texts dealing with pedagogical theory and active learning in the context of a theatre history class. By comparing a class which is taught in the traditional, chronological format relying heavily on lectures to a class taught in a newer, thematic format utilizing active learning the thesis defines what student-centered learning means. Active learning, its benefits, and its implementation are explained and explored, along with the advantages and benefits of teaching thematically instead of chronologically. All of this is applied to a theatre history class in the resulting syllabus in chapter three. The syllabus creates a curriculum …

Developmental Dynamics Of Students' Perceptions Of Classroom Practices, Their Identity, And Academic Engagement, Krystal R. Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

As the student body in the United States continues to become more diverse, it is critically important to understand the factors that influence African American and Latinx students’ engagement, including what they bring to the classroom, and their perceptions of what is occurring in the classroom. During early adolescence, youth are making meaning and internalizing the proximal influences their classrooms have on their sense of self and subsequent academic outcomes. Among school variables, teaching quality accounts for some amount of variation in student achievement.

This dissertation project explored whether there were gender differences among 205 middle school students’ perceptions of …

Social Influences On Racial Identity, Perceived Social Support, And Mental Health Among Black College Students, Sultan A. Hubbard

Theses and Dissertations

The first goal for the study was to estimate trait effects and social influences for racial centrality, racial private regard, and racial public regard. The second was to estimate correlational relationships between racial identity, depression, and anxiety symptoms. The study used 110 Black university students (M_age=19.5,SD=4.13) from a southeastern American university. Restricted maximum likelihood estimation was conducted to estimate variance components for all constructs. Racial centrality, racial private regard, and racial public regard consisted of mostly trait effects, although reflecting substantial social influences. Correlational findings indicated that providers who evoked high racial centrality also evoked …

Impacts Of Gender-Based Violence And Harassment On Graduate Student Academic Functioning, Jennifer W. Underwood

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers and practitioners have increasingly focused on institutional responses to campus gender-based violence/harassment, yet they have paid far less attention to graduate student experiences than to undergraduate student experiences. Graduate students operate in a different context from undergraduates, and therefore specific knowledge of gender-based violence/harassment in the lives of graduate students is needed. The purpose of this exploratory, nonexperimental study was to better understand the prevalence of adult gender-based violence/harassment and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among graduate students, as well as to understand the relationship between those experiences and participants’ mental health and academic functioning. The study’s theoretical framework combined …

Transit Access Equity In Richmond, Va, Rachel Jordan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the extent of public transit access equity issues in Richmond, VA. The City of Richmond has an established public transportation network system, and the thesis explores the level of access for urban residents to use existing public transportation services. Technologies and programs have begun to emerge across the United States to help solve transit accessibility challenges. The thesis assesses the level of transit access equity that exists in Richmond and introduces technologies and services that could help improve accessibility and equity. The thesis uses a mixed methods approach that will consist of …

Perception Of Patient Cooperation Among Dentist, Guardian, And Child, Cole A. Staines Dds

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Evaluate behavior assessment and agreement among dentist, guardian, and child. Evaluate child behavior by appointment type.

Methods: Patients recruited from the pediatric dental department at Virginia Commonwealth University for this convenience sample. Inclusion criteria: patients presenting for clinical exams and/or restorative treatment without the use of advanced behavior guidance between August 29, 2018, and March 7, 2019; ages 4-12-years-old; and scheduled with a single clinician. Appointments were stratified by difficulty. Behavior was assessed by dentist and caregiver using the Frankl Scale. Patient self-assessed cooperation using an age-appropriate modified Frankl Scale, developed for this study. Agreement assessed among the 3 …

A Genetically Informed Study Of Acute Threat Endophenotypes For Callous-Unemotional Traits, Ashlee A. Moore

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. Callous-unemotional (CU) traits predict socially debilitating outcomes including Antisocial Personality Disorder and violent crime in adulthood. Despite significant research, the etiology of CU traits is not well understood. This dissertation incorporates genetic, physiological, neuroanatomical, and self-report measures to investigate the etiology of CU traits. Specifically, this project focuses on measures previously found to associate with impaired fear-processing observed in individuals high on CU. Brain morphometry for paralimbic regions of interest (ROIs) and electromyographic facial eyeblink reflex to startle and fear-potentiated startle probes were investigated as potential endophenotypes for CU traits. Methods. Two genetically informative (ages 9-20) twin samples ( …

Teaching About Racially Diverse Artists And Cultures, Hannah Sions

Theses and Dissertations

Art education scholars have redefined multicultural teaching practices to include a need for addressing social inequities. To understand art educators’ multicultural teaching practices, it is important to measure the extent to which they present cultural diversity in the classroom and present a racially diverse pool of artists. The purpose of this this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to measure the extent to which practicing K–12 art educators who are members of the National Art Education Association (NAEA) engage students with racially diverse artists and cultures within their curricula. The study aimed to measure the extent that educators address racial and cultural …

A Cross-Cultural Examination Of The Relations Among Parkinson’S Disease Impairments, Caregiver Burden And Mental Health, And Family Dynamics In Mexico And The United States, Erin Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a common progressive neurodegenerative disorder that leads to both physical and cognitive impairment over time. Eventually, these impairments may include the loss of autonomy, and the individual may require the assistance of an informal caregiver. Informal caregivers are critical in the care of individuals with PD and spend substantial time providing care, which may be associated with negative caregiver outcomes such as burden, mental health issues, as well as poor family dynamics. Although research in the United States and Europe has generally supported these relations, there is very limited research on PD caregiving in Latin America. …