Practice Elements Delivered By Teachers To Support Children Who Display Challenging Behaviors In Business-As-Usual Early Childhood Settings, Navneet Kaur

Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 15-25% of children ages 3 to 5 years in early childhood settings display chronic challenging behaviors that increase their risk for developing an emotional and behavioral disorder. The early onset of emotional and behavioral disorders has long-term negative implications for these children. Therefore, it is vital to address these problems early on. One approach is through teacher-delivered practices (i.e., specific strategies, such as praise) and programs (i.e., manualized interventions that contain a collection of practices) in the classroom. Some practices and programs have shown positive outcomes for children. However, when practices and programs do not outperform business-as-usual group (BAU), …

Trans* Streamers On Twitch.Tv: The Intersections Of Gender And Digital Labor, R. Lawson

Theses and Dissertations

Twitch.tv is a live entertainment platform where individuals live stream events, including playing video games, playing board and tabletop games, creating art, and more. Twitch has a diverse base of streamers, but Twitch has just begun. The most common approach has focused on cisgender, heterosexual white men in the cases where it has been studied. Though these streamers should be studied in sociology, this focus leaves out the experiences of both cis women and Trans* streamers. This research proposal tries to situate the relationship of Trans* streamers with both the platform and their audience, seeing if these relationships affect their …

I'M Not Sure It Was A Hoopoe Or A Decanter, Ali Kaeini

Theses and Dissertations

“I’m not sure it was a Hoopoe or a Decanter” explores the experience of cultural displacement through the lens of an Iranian artist and immigrant. Drawing on ancient Iranian stories, Persian poetry, and cultural artifacts, my paintings and drawings reflect the uncertainty of the contemporary political and religious conditions in Iran, as well as the challenges faced by individuals forced to flee their homeland due to war, political instability, and social conditions. My work weaves references to ancient Iranian objects, Persian miniatures' structural forms and patterns, and Islamic architecture, using traditional and contemporary materials to create large, unconventional paintings. Through …

Half Of Two Hungers, Aida A. Lizalde Rios

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

half of two hungers is an extension of my sculptural practice; a weaving of the ambiguous borders of memory, trauma, disease, identity, assimilation, survival, spirituality, love, erotics, and desire. It is a psychological and sensorial landscape, where I travel consciously and subconsciously to pull shapes and material experiences out into the world of bodies and objects.

Food Deserts And Pediatric Oral Health Status In An Under-Resourced Urban Community, Jessica T. Mcauliffe

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The aim of this analysis of survey data was to assess the influence of living within a food desert as a predictor of oral health problems among children of East Henrico County, Virginia.

Methods: Survey participants were recruited and questionnaires applied online. Residing in a food desert, using access to affordable produce as a proxy value, was the independent variable, while self- reported assessment of the child’s oral health status was the primary outcome variable. Analyses controlled for other indirect factors of pediatric oral health. Logistic regression was used to model the association between the self-reported access to healthy …

Through The Lens Of Glass, Paul J. Van Den Bijgaart

Theses and Dissertations

Glass is a key component of the development of the modern world and within this China has become the leading producer and consumer of the material. Through the dedication to my skilled craft as a glassblower I use my material understanding to explore eastern and western philosophical associations and artistic concepts through painting. As well as investigate the relevance of how craft contributes to the development of culture through consumables. An intuitive expressionist painting style is explored in relation to landscape painting with glass as a practice towards mindful engagement within an age of digitized globalization.

“Trans Broken Arm Syndrome”: Examining Causal Antecedents Of Gender-Related Medical Misattribution And Invasive Questioning In An Analogous Healthcare Setting Through The Lens Of Person Perception, Catherine Wall

Theses and Dissertations

Transgender individuals face particular challenges when interacting with a cisgender focused medical system. Gender-related medical misattribution and invasive questioning (GRMMIQ), colloquially known by the tongue-in-cheek named “trans broken arm syndrome,” is a form of medical discrimination wherein a healthcare provider assumes that a transgender patient’s medical complaints, regardless of origin, result from their gender identity or medical transition. Previous research has suggested that this, and other forms of identity-related discrimination both in and outside of healthcare, might be understood either using a top-down approach focused on stereotypes founded in schema, or a bottom-up approach examining perceived typicality. One additional theory, …

Attitudes And Beliefs Of Cannabis Use During Pregnancy: Hashing Out The Impact Of Location And Legality, Anna Wiese

Theses and Dissertations

As more states authorize the use of cannabis for medical and recreational purposes, rates of prenatal cannabis use are on the rise. Yet research on perceptions of prenatal cannabis use has been limited, and the existing research lacks reliable, quantitative measures. In response, researchers in Denver developed the Perceptions of Prenatal Cannabis Use (PPCU) survey, a 16-item measure designed to assess perceived risks and benefits of prenatal cannabis use. The present study analyzed PPCU survey data administered at three different recruitment sites (Denver, CO; Pittsburgh, PA; and Richmond, VA). The present study examined women’s perceptions of the risks and benefits …

Examining Psychosocial Factors Of Chronic Disease Control To Improve Outcomes For Patients With Multiple Chronic Conditions, Kristen O'Loughlin

Theses and Dissertations

Psychosocial needs are associated with worse health outcomes for patients with multiple chronic conditions (MCC). The Biopsychosocial Model provides a framework for conceptualizing the influence that psychosocial factors have on the management of disease. To date, research has primarily focused on examining the relation between psychosocial factors and chronic disease onset. Therefore, the temporal relation between psychosocial factors and disease management remains poorly understood. The current study aimed to 1) describe patients’ psychosocial needs and their prioritization, 2) examine reciprocal relations between anxious symptoms, depressive symptoms, social needs, and MCC management, and 3) qualitatively explore patient definitions of health in …

Evaluating The Acute Effect Of Vaping On Food Intake, Gabrielle Maldonado

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Weight control is a common motive for continued cigarette smoking, and weight concerns pose a barrier to quitting. These effects are driven in part by nicotine’s ability to reduce overall appetite and ultimately body weight. Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) have been marketed and used for weight control, suggesting that the use of these products potentially may share similar effects as well as barriers to quitting as observed for cigarette smoking. However, little to no controlled clinical lab evidence exists supporting ENDS use for weight control. The present study tested the influence of an ENDS on acute eating behavior …

Exploring Polyamorous Relationship Experiences Of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Pansexual Individuals, Jiale Man

Theses and Dissertations

Polyamory is a type of relationship under the consensual non-monogamy relationship umbrella that assumes the possibility, validity, and worthwhileness of maintaining romantic, sexual, and intimate relationships with multiple people simultaneously. In Western society, the prevalence and domination of mononormativity have led to the marginalization of relationships alternative to monogamy (i.e., polyamory). As a result, individuals in polyamorous relationships continue to experience bias, stigma, and discrimination at varying levels. With a rise in public interest in CNM in the past two decades, scientists and researchers have slowly started to examine various topics related to CNM, including its prevalence, public attitudes toward …

How Do Early Interventionists Adapt Instruction When Delivering Services In Natural Environments?, Brian C. Wysong

Theses and Dissertations

Early Interventionists (EIs) play a pivotal role in supporting development for young children with disabilities. It is vital that they are able to support child and family outcomes through building strong partnerships with families, utilizing best practices, and individualizing services to children and families. The purpose of this study was to explore early interventionists’ perceptions regarding how they adapted instruction when delivering services in natural environments. Specifically, this study aimed to understand how changes in the child’s skill level, interests, and level of engagement affected early interventionists’ decision-making process during service delivery. A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing semi-structured …

The Living Legends Of Sholoukh – شلوخ الأساطير Facial Scarification In Sudan, Ayah S. Elnour

Theses and Dissertations

Sholoukh — ritual face scarring—is a dying art form in Sudan.

Used to distinguish members of one tribe from another,

Sholoukh reflects the tribal pride of an individual. In the past,

sholoukh was seen as important as having a passport for a tribe

member, however, it was not always applied by choice. Using

just a razor blade, the wisest, most senior tribal elder would scar

the face of a child, initiating them into the tribe for life.

As this tribal art form fades away, the dwindling Sholoukh-bearers

have become living legends in Sudan. To honor them, I create

a collage …

Community On Campus: Examining The Impact Of Campus Climate, Belonging, And Flourishing On Bystander Behavior Among Diverse University Students, Amelia Liadis

Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory, nonexperimental study aimed to investigate the relationships among diverse undergraduate and graduate students’ perceived campus climate, flourishing, and university belonging on bystander intentions and bystander behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study’s theoretical framework combined the Theory of Planned Behavior and feminist theory, and examined intersectionality through an Identity Risk Index. Data used in the current study were originally collected as part of an institutional Healthy Minds Survey, on health behaviors of college students; responses from n = 171 of the randomly selected participants were used in the current study’s analyses. The majority of participants indicated at least …

“It's Just Not Enough”: Examining The Experiences Of School-Based Sexual Health Education And Conversation Engagement With Trusted Adults Among Black Boys In Richmond, Va, Sharyn A. Dougherty

Theses and Dissertations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that youth make up a quarter of the sexually active population, yet account for half of the 20 million new sexually transmitted infections in the United States.In 2021, youth age 15-19 living in Virginia’s central region, which includes the Richmond Metropolitan area, had the second highest number of chlamydia cases and fourth highest number of gonorrhea cases among all age groups, with the highest rates among Black youth. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of Black youth in Richmond, VA with school-based sexual health education (SHE) and their …

Coming Out To Treatment: Identifying Facilitators & Characterizing Experiences Of Sexual And Gender Minoritized Individuals In Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jaclyn S. Sadicario

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) individuals are disproportionately impacted by substance use disorders vs. their non-SGM counterparts. Additionally, SGM folks face more barriers to access for treatment than others due to minority stressors including discrimination, internalized stigma, and marginalization related to their sex and gender minority statuses. It is important for researchers and treating providers alike to understand how these different factors are impacting the treatment of substance use disorders in SGM populations. With this in mind, this two phase study employed a mixed-methods approach to (1) describe the population of SGM folks enrolled in a MOUD treatment program with …

The Influence Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Rural Virginia Secondary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy, Sherol L. Southerland

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unique challenges for PK-12 education and exposed educators’ skill deficits. Teachers had to learn new approaches to doing their jobs while navigating the mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial impact of the pandemic on their personal lives. This undertaking was even more demanding for rural school divisions, which tend to lack the resources (e.g., personnel, technology, financial) that suburban and urban school divisions have. Schools reopened in fall 2020 offering fully remote, fully in-person, and hybrid modalities, however, there was no going back to teaching as it was before the pandemic. The present study sought to …

Grounded In Teachers’ Reality: A Collective Case Study On Middle School Teachers’ Self-Efficacy For Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Educational Practices, Margaret Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

The current body of literature clearly demonstrates the high prevalence of student trauma and the significant impact of trauma on adolescents' well-being and academic outcomes. Middle school teachers are uniquely positioned to support adolescents experiencing trauma using trauma-informed educational practices (TIEP), however, more work is needed to understand their self-efficacy beliefs for using TIEP. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative collective case study is to explore middle-school teachers' self-efficacy (TSE) beliefs for trauma-informed educational practices particularly as they relate to centering equity, and what factors impact those beliefs. Specifically, my study asks the following research questions, (1) How do middle …

Exploration Of Dimensional Structure Of Major Psychiatric Disorders Reveals Relationship With Substance Use And Personality, Noah Berley

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Using a mixture of statistical techniques like structural equation modeling, confirmatory, and exploratory factor analyses, we aimed to determine the genetic factor structure among Externalizing, Internalizing, and Psychotic spectrum disorders through methods that evaluate GWAS-based correlations. Additionally, a subsequent factor analysis based on the most suitable psychiatric model was conducted to understand how non-clinical behavioral traits align with this factor structure.

Methods: Publicly available GWAS summary statistics for twelve major psychiatric disorders, six substance use measures and two personality domains were incorporated into structural equation models. Using the GenomicSEM software package, GWAS-based correlations were estimated between all twelve disorders …

Examining The Home Interventionist Model Of Care In Pediatric Asthma, Katherine D. Lohr

Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric asthma disproportionately affects children living in urban areas and within families reporting an income below the poverty threshold. Home interventionist models of care, utilizing interventionists from the communities they serve, have been found to improve pediatric asthma symptoms and reduce Medicaid costs. Home interventionists, such as community health workers (CHWs) and Healthy Homes assessors (HHAs), focus on connecting care among schools, providers, and homes, and empowering families in accessing resources to overcome barriers to care. However, research is just beginning to understand how home interventionists create positive change among families within low-income, urban communities. This dissertation study used a …

Fascism In Sci-Fi: "Mobilizing Passions" In Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers, Alton C. Ayers

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis responds to criticism of Robert A. Heinlein’s Starship Troopers (1959) as a “fascist” novel by further investigating the claim through a close reading of the novel that applies political theory scholarship on fascism. Chapters I and II introduce the novel along with its general reception and controversy. These chapters consider the accusations of “fascism” given to the novel while at the same time understanding that a clear, exact definition of “fascism” has long been grappled with by scholars since the rise of the regimes in Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Chapters III and IV apply political theory to …

Activity Levels Of Different Cell Types In An Epileptogenic Model Of Cortical Microgyria: A Cfos Investigation, Peter F. Lamothe

Theses and Dissertations

A large percentage of individuals with intractable epilepsies have an accompanying cortical malformation, the underlying cellular mechanisms of which are not fully understood. In an animal model for one such malformation, polymicrogyria, epileptogenesis occurs most easily in a region of tissue just adjacent to the microgyria termed the paramicrogyral region (PMR). Previous studies implicate somatostatin containing interneurons (SOM) as a potential contributor to this pathology, and show increased excitation of SOM in the PMR. We hypothesis that SOM are more active in the PMR when compared to SOM within the homologous region of the control cortex. In addition to this …

Well-Being From Home To Work: The Role Of Mindfulness, Alisha Gupta

Theses and Dissertations

Considering the growing spillover of work and home and its impact on well-being, I draw from the Work-Home Resources Model and Attention Restoration Theory to examine the effects of evening recovery experiences at home on mindfulness at work and eudaimonic workplace well-being. Specifically, I focus on two indicators of eudaimonic well-being—one indicator of psychological functioning (work meaningfulness) and one indicator of social functioning (high-quality connections; HQCs). Further, I introduce a boundary condition, distance from work, of the relationship between evening recovery experiences and mindfulness. I suggest that due to alternative work arrangements in today’s workforce (i.e., that permit increased overlap …

Anti-Immigration-Related Stressors And Latine Immigrant Well-Being: The Role Of Family & Community Resilience, Lisa S. Fuentes

Theses and Dissertations

Anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies have continued to adversely impact Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protection Status (TPS) beneficiaries (Arevalo et al., 2015; Cleary, 2017; Li, 2015; Sangalang et al., 2018). There have been numerous attempts to revoke DACA, TPS, and other policies that temporarily protect immigrant families. Although the number of resilience literature has grown, more strength-based approaches are still needed. Additionally, given that familismo (familism) and collectivism are key cultural values for Latine families (Campos et al., 2019; Corona et al., 2017), it is imperative to explore family and community resilience among Latine immigrants to gain …

Initial Psychometric Evaluation Of An Observer-Rated Measure Of Shared Decision Making Practices In Youth Psychotherapy, Jennifer Lc Herbst

Theses and Dissertations

SDM is a process by which clinicians and clients collaboratively make treatment decisions; this process may improve the alliance and clinical outcomes. SDM in youth psychotherapy is understudied, and a critical gap in the field is the paucity of established measures designed to assess SDM practices in youth psychotherapy. This project aimed to fill this gap by examining the score reliability and validity of a novel observer-rated measure of SDM designed for youth psychotherapy—the Shared Decision Making Practices in Youth Mental Health scale (SDM-YMH)—and using the measure to investigate linkages between SDM practices, the alliance, and clinical outcomes. Therapy tapes …

Quantitative And Molecular Genetic Analyses Of Brain Structure, Substance Use, And Posttraumatic Stress Phenotypes: Data From Children, Adolescents And Adults, Daniel Bustamante

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

QUANTITATIVE AND MOLECULAR GENETIC ANALYSES OF BRAIN-IMAGING, SUBSTANCE USE, AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS PHENOTYPES: DATA FROM CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS

By Daniel Bustamante, B.S., B.A.

Doctoral dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Integrative Life Sciences – Behavioral and Statistical Genetics at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2023.

Dissertation directors: Michael C. Neale, Ph.D., Banks Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry & Human and Molecular Genetics; and, Ananda B. Amstadter, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Human and Molecular Genetics.

Substance use (SU) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) phenotypes are comorbid, share …

Totem Impulse, Tendai T. Mupita

Theses and Dissertations

In this reading, I explore the performative and complexities of indigenous mythologies, cosmologies, and epistemologies, through totems, folklore, architecture, and games. This paper extracts references from indigenous philosophies in thinking about form and image. These forms and images are my sculptures, my installations, and my lines.

Sense Of Belonging As Behaviorist Construct: “Doing Belonging” And Its Application For College Students With Disabilities, Chris Parthemos Phd

Theses and Dissertations

Sense of Belonging has been widely linked to academic performance, retention and persistence for college students. Students with disabilities are less likely to enroll than peers, and are more likely to drop out. Similar to other historically-marginalized groups, these students report lower sense of belonging than peers. Research with this population suggests that they may be seeking ways of building community and belonging at their universities which are self-driven. This notion of “doing belonging”, as it is described in the sociological literature, appears at first glance to be compatible with behaviorist approaches to student support. Although not without controversy, behavior …

Buckets In A Deep Well: Essays About Shakespeare’S History Play Characters And An Original Drama, Brian C. Bassett

Theses and Dissertations

Buckets in a Deep Well is a set of essays that examines various characters portrayed in Shakespeare’s history plays, as well as parallel figures in 20th and 21st century works. Each essay primarily focuses on a single character’s response to a power structure: Richard Gloucester to the Tudor England of his audience in Richard III; Richard Nixon’s campaign-produced version of himself to 20th century American democracy in “Checkers;” Falstaff to organized society in Henry IV, Part 1; Marlo Stanfield to the drug economy of early 2000’s Baltimore in The Wire; the Duke of York to the disrupted monarchy of The …

Effectiveness Of Financial Incentives In Improving Breast Cancer Screening Among Medicaid Recipients, James B. Sherwood

Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among women. Roughly 2.4 million women are diagnosed annually with breast cancer throughout the world. Although breast cancer survival rates are favorable for the United States compared to other nations (90% 5-year survival for non-metastatic disease), it comes at a high cost. The United States spends an estimated $30 billion annually on breast cancer treatment. In addition, disparities in breast cancer survival rates also exist in the United States. Women Medicaid recipients, who are predominately minorities (60%), are more likely to die of breast cancer due to their high rates …