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Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Descriptive Study, Erica Jex Gergely

Dissertations

The current study seeks to examine the program operations and treatment practices of individuals and organizations providing equine-assisted therapy services nationwide. Currently, there are several hundred programs across the United States that utilize equine-assisted therapy to treat common mental health problems in children, adolescents, and adults. Not all equine therapy programs function under the same theoretical model and therefore do not deliver treatment services using equivalent principles or techniques. In addition, program policies, procedures, and ethical guidelines of each provider vary. To date, there exists a paucity of research regarding equine-assisted therapy including both qualitative and quantitative data.

The present …

Does Understanding The Kalamazoo Promise Impact African American Participation?, J. Douglas Penn

Dissertations

Since 2006, all of the public school graduates in Kalamazoo Michigan have been entitled to have their tuition and fees paid for to any post-secondary institution in the state. The scholarship program is called the Kalamazoo Promise, and it utilizes scholarships as a means to stimulate region-wide economic vitality. The Kalamazoo public school district reflects many metropolitans in the U.S. by having a minority majority, in which African Americans make up the largest single ethnic group. This evaluation of the Kalamazoo Promise is unique in that it focuses specifically on perspectives from the African American community. 35 interviews were conducted …

Traditional And Market-Based Financial Intermediaries: Three Essays Examining Their Risk Behavior, Delisting Behavior, And Reactions To Economic Policy Uncertainty, Marc S. Schaffer

Dissertations

In the wake of our country’s greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression, the need to better understand the risks and behaviors associated with financial intermediaries has become apparent. In particular, the literature distinguishes between traditional or depository-based financial intermediaries and their market-based or non-depository counterparts. This dissertation focuses on understanding the behavioral differences across these two groups by examining their equity-based risk differences, their stock market delisting differences, and lastly how these firms react to economic policy uncertainty.

The first essay uses an equity-based approach to quantify the average firm-level risk that is associated with these intermediary groups. While …

End Of The Line: Tracking The Commodity Chain Of The Electronic Waste Industry, Jacquelynn A. Doyon

Dissertations

This study examines the transfer of electronic waste (e-waste) from core to peripheral nations, specifically coastal nations in Africa. The theoretical perspective marries green criminology with world systems theory in examining the ways in which marginalized populations bear the burden of hazardous waste disposal across the globe. The study is comparative, looking at legislation in the United States as well as international legislation and enforcement, and also employs case study methodology, contrasting e-waste disposal in Nigeria and Ghana. The final intent of this research is to determine whether or not the violation of national and/or international legislation regarding the transfer …

Can You Get Beliefs From Retweets? An Examination Of The Extended Parallel Processing Model On Social Media, Xialing Lin

Masters Theses

The Extended Parallel Processing Model (EPPM; Witte, 1992) has been applied as a framework to examine risk information dissemination and effective sensation seeking in various health communication scenarios. Previous studies suggest that it is worth examining whether Twitter could have potential efficacy effects similar to face-to-face interaction or traditional media interventions. Given the overload and discrete information in the medium environment, people would adapt information processing short cuts, to tend to similar perceptions from various sources rather than reading specific messages.

The current study investigates the threat appeal perceptions of EPPM on system-generated and other-generated message cues in social media. …

Dating Violence Policy: Making The Grade, Richard Hoefer, Beverly Black, Mashooq Salehin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Dating violence rates affect an unacceptably high percentage of youth. This paper tests a model to understand the considerable variation in state dating violence policy comprehensiveness. Independent variables in the model are state political culture, partisan control of political institutions, prevalence of dating violence, and median household income. Bivariate results show partial support for preliminary hypotheses. Regression analysis indicates that strength of Democratic Party control of governmental institutions is the only variable in the model that achieved statistical significance. Implications and recommendations for future research are provided.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 39, No. 4 (December 2012)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• DATING VIOLENCE POLICY: MAKING THE GRADE - Richard Hoefer, Beverly Black, and Mashooq Salehin
• EXPLICATING THE SOCIAL MECHANISMS LINKING ALCOHOL USE BEHAVIORS AND ECOLOGY TO CHILD MALTREATMENT - Bridget Freisthler and Megan R. Holmes PRIVATE PENSION PROTECTIONS SINCE ERISA: THE EXPANDED ROLE OF THE INDIVIDUAL - Karen A. Zurlo
• RECONCILIATION IN A COMMUNITY-BASED RESTORATIVE JUSTICE INTERVENTION - David K. Androff
• "WHERE ARE MY RIGHTS?" COMPROMISED CITIZENSHIP IN MIXED-STATUS MARRIAGE: A RESEARCH NOTE - April M. Schueths
• FEAR VS. FACTS: EXAMINING THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS IN THE U.S. - David Becerra, David K. Androff, Cecilia Ayón, …

Reconciliation In A Community-Based Restorative Justice Intervention, David K. Androff

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (TRCs) are among the primary means for promoting reconciliation in communities recovering from violent conflict. However, there is a lack of consensus about what reconciliation means or how it is best achieved. In a qualitative study of the first TRC in the U.S., this research interviewed victims of racial violence who participated in the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission (GTRC), a community-based restorative justice intervention. Findings reveal that participants conceptualized reconciliation as a multileveled process, that different concepts of reconciliation influenced assessments of the success and limitations of the GTRC, and indicate how community-based restorative interventions …

"Where Are My Rights?" Compromised Citizenship In Mixed-Status Marriage A Research Note, April M. Schueths

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Immigration policy has shifted its focus from family reunification to strict enforcement of "illegal" immigration. It has become much more difficult for U.S. citizens to adjust their non-citizen spouses' legal status, especially spouses who are undocumented. This paper examines the vulnerabilities of female U.S. citizens married or partnered with undocumented Mexican men. Findings challenge the simplistic notion that marriage with a U.S. citizen creates automatic legalization for undocumented individuals and highlights the creation of a second class citizenry for native-born partners. This study argues that punitive immigration law and policies have profound negative implications for the lives of U.S. citizens.

Fear Vs. Facts: Examining The Economic Impact Of Undocumented Immigrants In The U.S., David Becerra, David K. Androff, Cecilia Ayón, Jason T. Castillo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Undocumented immigration has become a contentious issue in the U.S. over the past decade. Opponents of undocumented immigration have argued that undocumented immigrants are a social and financial burden to the U.S. which has led to the passage of drastic and costly policies. This paper examined existing state and national data and found that undocumented immigrants do contribute to the economies of federal, state, and local governments through taxes and can stimulate job growth, but the cost of providing law enforcement, health care, and education impacts federal, state, and local governments differently. At the federal level, undocumented immigrants tend to …

Perceived Neighborhood Safety And Psychological Distress: Exploring Protective Factors, Jaime Booth, Stephanie L. Ayers, Flavio F. Marsiglia

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

While a growing body of literature has established a relationship between "disordered" neighborhoods and psychological distress, less is known about the specific mechanisms at work. Using data collected in the 2008 Arizona Health Survey (N = 4,196), hierarchal linear regression was conducted to assess both the independent effect of perception of neighborhood safety on psychological distress, as well as the mediating effects of powerlessness, social isolation and mistrust. The findings suggest that the more safe individuals feel in their neighborhood, the less psychological distress they experience (b = 1.07, SE = .17, p < .001). This relationship appears to be partially mediated by feelings of powerlessness, social isolation and mistrust, indicating potential risk and protective factors.

"His Head Rolled Forth Onto The Floor:" Women, The Abject, And The Male Gaze In Old English Poetry, Jaime Michelle Myers

Masters Theses

Old English poetry features several female characters who challenge androcentric authority by violently killing men. I argue in this thesis that three of these women—Modthryth, Grendel’s mother, and Judith—are linked together by their rejection or reversal of the male gaze. In their forceful refusal to be visually objectified, each character is portrayed as abject—outside of normal and outcast from community. They cause disorder, illustrate the fragility of androcentric control, and force a confrontation with death. In so doing, they create ambiguity and, at times, reverse the subject/object and masculine/feminine gender binaries.

Experimental Determination Of Colburn And Friction Factors In Small Plate Heat Exchangers With High Surface Enlargement Factors, Andrew H. Pike

Masters Theses

Experiments were conducted to measure the performance of several small brazed plate heat exchangers. A test apparatus was designed and constructed that allowed for the easy switching of the plate heat exchangers, as well as having the ability to electronically monitor and record the inlet and outlet temperatures, pressures, and flow rates. The flow rates and applied electrical power were controlled electronically by the same program which recorded the data. De-ionized water was used as the heat transfer medium to reduce the uncertainty related to fluid properties.

An existing mathematical model was used to create Colburn and friction factors based …

How Facebook Friendship Transforms The Superior-Subordinate Relationship: A View From Relational Dialectics Theory, Raquel Hellenga

Masters Theses

This thesis project explores how Facebook friendship transforms the relationship between superior-subordinate dyads in the workplace through the lens of relational dialectics theory. A convenience sample of five superior-subordinate dyads (N=10) was used. Criteria for participation included: the superior must be full time and must be the subordinate's direct superior, the subordinate must work at least part time, both must have worked in the organization for at least three months, and the two must be friends on Facebook who communicate at least weekly through the site. This study utilizes qualitative, face-to-face, in-depth participant interviews. The interview questions are open-ended in …

"Make Over Your Body": Conflicting Messages In Women's Fitness Magazines, Joy Zoodsma

Masters Theses

SHAPE Magazine is a women's fitness magazine that has been consistently popular since its initial publication in 1981. This study explores how the messages of health and beauty in this publication have evolved over the last three decades, especially in response to the cultural imperatives of consumerism and feminism. It critically analyzes the visual and textual messages on SHAPE Magazine covers and in letters from the editor, which offer important examples of the ways in which SHAPE attempts to “hail” readers – to draw them in, to convince them that what the magazine has to offer is relevant to their …

Improving Rapid Prototyping Through The Installment Of 3d Printers In Automotive Companies, Kelly Mccarthy

Honors Theses

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a relatively new form of additive manufacturing that has the potential to induce a second industrial revolution. This technology utilizes a print head to lay down raw materials in successive layers to fabricate a three dimensional object. There are several techniques in 3D printing, two of which will be discussed hi this proposal: fused deposition modeling (FDM), and inkjet/polyjet matrix 3D printing.

Although this technology has been around since the 1980s, it is constantly evolving and new materials, uses, and objects are created daily. This technology presents the potential to manufacture a variety of objects across …

Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project Annual Report, 2011-12, Michael S. Nassaney

Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project

The Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project continued its multifaceted program of research, teaching, and public outreach focused on the study of the fur trade and colonialism in southwest Michigan, while involving the community in the process with the support of the Fort St. Joseph Archaeology Advisory Committee. Over the past year (September 1, 2011 through August 31, 2012) Western Michigan University students and faculty, along with various stakeholders and community volunteers, collaborated to investigate the site of Fort St. Joseph and disseminate information to increasing numbers of people. Here are some of the year’s highlights.

• The project was the recipient …

Art In Occupational Therapy: An Introduction To Occupation And The Artist, Molly Bathje

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Diagnostic Statistical Manual 5 Changes To The Autism Diagnostic Criteria: A Critical Moment For Occupational Therapists, Rondalyn Varney Whitney, Heather Miller-Kuhaneck

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Changes in the soon to be released Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) – 5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2012) bring new opportunities for occupational therapy, but the profession must prepare for the impact these changes forecast. While well positioned to capitalize on newly defined specifications of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and the elevation of sensory processing difficulties to a core feature of the disorder, the profession must be alert to the potential downside of the pending changes. The more stringent diagnostic rubric will likely exclude a significant number of individuals currently eligible for therapeutic and academic services. Autism will be defined as …

Western News, Nov. 15, 2012, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: Surge seen in international enrollment; Office for Sustainability shows off its new home; University to induct 72 longtime employees into 25 Year Club; On Campus with Shari Glaser.

Interdisciplinary Approaches To Climate Change Research And Training: Possible Funding Opportunities, Kathryn Docherty

Research and Dessert

NSF Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (TUES)

Dept. of Education Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN)

NSF Discovery Research K‐12 (DRK‐12)

Packard Foundation – Conservation and Science

Gates Foundation – College‐Ready Education, Early Learning, Post‐secondary Education, Empowering Communities

Dow Foundation

NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA)

NIH‐National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Science Education Award (R25)

NSF Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE)

NSF International Research Experiences for Students (IRES)

NSF Catalyzing New International Collaborations

NSF Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) Science

NSF Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic …

Prism #66, November 2012, Office Of The Provost

Prism: Western Michigan University's Newsletter for Academic Affairs

No abstract provided.

Digital Visualization And Dissemination Tools: University Libraries, Barbara Cockrell, Paul Howell, Sheila Bair, Sue Steuer, Jason Glatz, Michele Behr, Maira Bundza

Research and Dessert

How to get your research out into the world.

Mining For Gold: Discover Foundation Funding, John J. Greenhoe

Research and Dessert

No abstract provided.

Geosciences Newsletter - 2012, Department Of Geosciences

Geological and Environmental Sciences News

Vol. 5, No. 1

• Faculty Updates
• Faculty Updates
• Deanna Romanosky
• Publications
• MGRRE
• Alumni Award
• Gifts
• Grants
• Endowments

Addressing Reading Underachievement In African American Boys Through A Multi-Contextual Approach, Terry Husband

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Much has been written about reading disparities between African American males and other student groups. Interestingly, the majority of this scholarship focuses on African American males at pre-adolescent states of development and beyond. To date, relatively little has been documented relative to improving reading outcomes in African American males in early childhood and elementary contexts. The purpose of this article is to present a multi-contextual framework for improving reading outcomes in African American boys in P-5 contexts specifically. I conclude with a discussion of three important commitments that teachers and administrators must be willing to embrace in order for these …

New Authors, New Books, And New Horizons, Barbara A. Ward, Terrell A. Young

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Enersen, Adele. (2012). When my baby dreams. New York: HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray. 48 pages, $14.99, ISBN: 978-0-062-07175-0.

Lewis, Caron. (2012). Stuck with the blooz. Illus. by Jon Davis. New York: Harcourt Children’s Books. 40 pages, $16.99, ISBN: 978-0-547-74560-2.

Ashley-Hollinger, Mika. (2012). Precious Bones. New York: Delacorte. 344 pages, $16.99, ISBN: 978-0-385-74219-1.

Dias Lorenzi, Natalie. (2012). Flying the dragon. Illus. by Kelly Murphy. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge. 240 pages, $16.95, ISBN: 978-1-580-89434-0.

Krumwiede, Lana. (2012). Freakling. Watertown, MA: Candlewick Press, 320 pages, $15.99, ISBN: 978-0-763-65937-0.

Palacio, R.J. (2012). Wonder. New York: Random House, 313 pages, $15.99, ISBN: 978-0-3758-6902-0.

Andrews, Jesse. (2012). Me …

Reading Horizons, Vol. 52, No. 1

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Complete issue of Reading Horizons volume 52, issue 1.

Mothers Of The Empire: Empresses Zoe And Theodora On A Byzantine Medallion Cycle, Kriszta Kotsis

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

This study examines Byzantine enamel medallions of the 11th century that represent empresses in encounters with holy figures. In addition to arguing for a date and identification of the empresses, the article examines what the medallions say about female authority in Byzantium in the first half of the eleventh century.

Transforming Memories In Contemporary Women's Rewriting, Liz Herbert Mcavoy

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.