Digital Commons Network^™

Developing, Refining, And Testing The Intersectional Model Of Service Use: A Transgender And Nonbinary-Specific Model Of Healthcare Access, Jarrod Call

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transgender and nonbinary (TNB) people are more likely to experience negative health outcomes than cisgender (i.e., not TNB) people, but less likely to access healthcare services due to the systemic forces of transphobia and cisgenderism. Despite this, there are few theoretical models of healthcare access specifically designed for TNB people. This three-paper dissertation addresses this gap by developing, refining, and testing the Intersectional Model of Service Use (IMSU), a population-specific framework for researching TNB healthcare access. Manuscript one describes how the initial IMSU was developed from an integrative review of currently available TNB healthcare access literature. This initial IMSU was …

Critical Experiences Of Being Humbled In Psychotherapy Training: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Mackenzie White Jessen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Therapists’ cultural humility has shown promise for being a “trait like” quality that improves psychotherapy treatment for marginalized populations (Hook et al., 2016, Owen et al., 2016). However, researchers have emphasized that it is important to establish whether cultural humility can be fostered or developed through training (Davis et al., 2016). The purpose of this study was to understand the phenomenon of trainees being humbled in session during graduate school training and its potential relationship to trainee development. This is the first study to specifically examine the experience of being humbled by clients in session or that explores the potential …

Evaluating The Impact Of Individual And Couple Relationship Education On Postpartum Depression, Maggie O’Reilly Treter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation evaluated the impact of relationship education on postpartum depression using data from two randomized controlled trials of relationship education for individuals and couples who were pregnant or recently had a baby. Paper 1 focused on a well-established relationship education program for low-income couples in Oklahoma City, Family Expectations. Key findings from Paper 1 demonstrated that being randomized to Family Expectations was associated with lower odds of experiencing depression in the first 12 months after having a baby among both mothers and fathers, though this effect was only marginally significant, and that the program had the strongest impact among …

Restorative Justice & A Dean Of Students: An Auto-Criticism Of The Role Of Care In School Discipline In A Poverty Impacted Public High School, Alicia D. Vasquez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study is an auto-criticism, an approach that allows researchers to study themselves. This emergent methodology is derived from educational criticism and connoisseurship, which fits under the broader category of arts-based research. School discipline is a programmatic component of any secondary school’s educational framework and directly effects student engagement and academic achievement. An analysis of the dean role in relation to school discipline is central to this study. The main research question is what are the lived experiences of a dean who incorporates restorative justice practices in a poverty impacted public high school?

The author spent two years as …

Inviting The Perspectives Of Refugee Mental Health Interpreters: A Critical Narrative Analysis, Emme Y. Paik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The research literature lacks examination into several areas concerning mental health interpretation for refugee clients. This includes the management of interpreters’ vicarious trauma and retraumatization, interpreter’s perspectives on the appropriateness of hiring refugees as mental health interpreters, how interpreters define their trauma as well as their clients’ trauma, and support that interpreters seek for their traumatic responses from their work. The literature is also missing an analysis of how oppressive power differentials are repeated in workplace institutions, specifically for refugee mental health interpreters. Thus, this study aimed to invite the perspectives of refugee mental health interpreters on several issues pertaining …

The Genuine Alacrity Of Things, Evelyn Hampton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

“The Genuine Alacrity of Things” is a short story collection. Themes include personal identity, the Anthropocene, grief, family, and relationships. The story collection is introduced by a critical introduction.

Interrupting Holistic Processing May Improve The Detection Of Deceptive Emotional Facial Expressions, Christopher A. Gunderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although a growing body of evidence suggests that genuine and deceptive facial expressions differ, previous work is mixed as to whether observers can discern between them. One explanation is that cues to deception on the face are subtle and not readily perceived by observers. I argue that the way people process faces may obscure these cues, making them ‘unseen’ by observers. In the current work, I pit two hypotheses against each other to test whether interrupting holistic processing improves or impairs the ability to identify deceptive emotional expressions. Since people process faces holistically, one region of the face may interfere …

Executive Function And Parenting Among Latinx Caregivers Of Young Children, Amy Dominguez Fabatz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Supportive and responsive parenting is vital to the healthy development of young children. Parenting behaviors are determined by many factors, including caregivers’ cognitive resources and abilities such as executive functioning (EF). The present study investigated how two core dimensions of EF, working memory and set-shifting abilities, are related to parenting behaviors in a sample of Latinx caregivers of young children experiencing low income. Positive parenting was measured using a multi-method approach including video-coded observations, parent self-report, and evaluation of the home environment. Findings from hierarchical regressions indicated that caregiver working memory, but not set-shifting, predicted positive parenting as measured by …

Historical Portrait Of Ann Fabe Isaacs: Founder Of The National Association For Gifted Children, Anna Armitage

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The historical portrait of Ann Fabe Isaacs examines the life of the founder of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) and the Editor of the Gifted Child Quarterly from 1954-1974. Considering Isaacs’ personal and public work frames the founding of the NAGC, development of its mission, published essays, and advocacy work. Once the historical perspective has been considered, Isaacs’ work will be considered alongside the contemporary NAGC, its advocacy work, and its published writing. This portrait provides historical context for the founding of the NAGC and examines the influence of the founder on the contemporary organization.

Implications of the …

Dismantling The Education-Survival Complex: A Qualitative Case Study Of How High School Youth Resist Whitestream School Policies And Foster School Change Through A Youth-Development Organization, Tracie Trinidad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study is to critically examine how youth resist whitestream school policies and foster educational change through community sociopolitical youth-development organizations. The methodology for this study is a qualitative case study (Fraenkel & Wallen, 1990; Merriam, 1988), as I am focused on participant perceptions and experiences, and how they make sense of their resistance experience through participation in sociopolitical youth development organizations like Youth for Social and Political Activism (YSPA). In total, eight participants spoke about their racial identity through their lived experiences in public school and YSPA programming.

The data and analysis are presented in the …

Faculty Facilitation Of Help-Seeking On Campus: A Phenomenological Study, Lillian V. Clark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An ever-increasing number of students on college campuses are experiencing distress, and not all students in need of care are being reached (Kitzrow, 2009, LeViness, et al., 2019). Faculty are one of the most valuable resources for identifying and connecting students to care (Kitzrow, 2009). Despite this, we know very little about the experiences of faculty working with students in distress. This study sought to understand those experiences, as well as identify the barriers to connecting students to care. A qualitative study using an Interpretive Phenomenology framework was conducted (Smith & Osborn, 2007, Moustakas, 1994). Four themes were interpreted from …

Multicultural Perceptions Of Creativity, Abby Noel Winterbrook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Multicultural Perceptions of Creativity examined perceptions of creativity among eight creatively gifted adults from diverse backgrounds who have a profession in an arts related field. This study examined what the phenomenon of creativity is and how it is experienced. The beliefs that inform perceptions of creativity were explored. The experiences that inform perceptions of creativity were described. The interactions among beliefs and experiences were considered. The data collected revealed that creativity is an instinct that each person possesses and can activate within themselves. Creativity can be nurtured based on environment and through personal, educational, professional, and cultural experiences. Creativity involves …

“I, Too, Am An Occupied Territory”: Border Crossings And Personal Sovereignty In Three Novels By Dominican American Women, Leia M. Lynn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Border crossing(s) and personal sovereignty are intimately and complexly connected in novels by and about Dominican American women. Through readings of In the Name of Salomé by Julia Alvarez, Dominicana by Angie Cruz, and The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, I argue that patriarchal forms of authority remove female autonomy by trespassing on personal boundaries, and that the renegotiation of that power is achieved through formations of community, especially with other women, through nonheteronormative relationships that are present inside and extend outside the text. The interplay of patriarchal authority, violence, and alienation on the four protagonists is examined at length, …

Improving Vocabulary Outcomes Through Language Resources: A Single Case Design Of First Grade Emergent Bilinguals Engaged In Literacy Intervention, Brooke S, Coté

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While there is a strong literature base demonstrating the importance of early literacy interventions for monolingual learners at-risk for reading difficulties, little research exists on how to effectively support the literacy needs and language assets of emergent bilinguals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of an evidence-based reading intervention with a translanguaging component, on vocabulary outcomes for first grade emergent bilinguals. By utilizing an alternating treatment single case design with two conditions, this project aimed to address the following research questions: Is there a functional relationship between an evidence-based reading intervention with a translanguaging component compared …

Regardless, ‘I’ And ‘You’: Lessons From Black Feminist Literature, Jasmine Veronica Sauceda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, and Alice Walker’s The Color Purple from a Black feminist perspective to demonstrate oneness as capacious being. This project explores an I-You dialogue that works toward future-making through the notion of regardless, an idea from Walker’s definition of Womanist, deployed through sustained engagement with Kevin Quashie’s notion of oneness. Thus, this work extrapolates lessons found in the selected texts to demonstrate what it means to embody a capaciousness of being and how this then fosters healing in the face of trauma. In so doing, …

Opportunities And Challenges For Rural Educators: A Mixed Methods Study Of Emergent Bilingual Studies In Rural Colorado, Andrea Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over nine million students in the United States attend school in rural school districts, with a growing percentage of these students identified as emergent bilingual. The purpose of this study is to examine the national emergent bilingual literacy trends and to determine how the opportunities and challenges that rural educators encounter, impact emergent bilingual education in rural schools. Utilizing a theoretical framework of culturally sustaining practices and funds of knowledge, this study uses a convergent mixed methods design to answer the following research questions: What are the national trends in emergent bilingual reading test scores? What opportunities and challenges do …

Development And Testing Of Remote Facilitation Of Prevent-Teach-Reinforce For Families To Address Challenging Behavior In Young Children (Ptr-F:R), Abby Hodges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As children advance through developmental stages, they often present behavioral difficulties such as tantrums, lack of cooperation, and aggression. For some children, behaviors are serious enough that they interfere with the child’s ability to engage in positive relationships, participate in necessary routines, and learn new skills, warranting behavioral intervention (Dunlap et al., 2017). Being responsive to the needs of the family and appreciation for the central role that they play is crucial to the success of behavioral interventions and the maintenance of positive outcomes (Bailey, 2013; Campbell, 1995), thus, their input should be at the center of all recommendations and …

Addressing Racial Disparities Through K-12 School-Based Culturally Relevant Interventions, Dina Malala

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This meta-analysis systematically identified culturally relevant interventions for Black students in K-12 school settings to determine (a) the effect of culturally relevant reading interventions on reading comprehension and reading fluency (b) the effect of culturally relevant behavioral interventions on student behaviors (c) the extent to which culturally relevant interventions impact cultural identity and awareness (d) how cultural identity moderates academic and behavioral outcomes. Twelve studies were identified. Overall, there was a statistically significant combined effect across the twelve studies (g = 0.96, p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant effect of culturally relevant reading interventions on reading outcomes (g =1.174, p < 0.05), a statistically significant effect of culturally relevant behavior interventions on behavior outcomes (g = 0.889, p < 0.05), and a statistically significant effect of cultural identity interventions on cultural awareness and identity (g =0. 914, p < 0.05). The primary limitation of this meta-analysis are the mainstream and standardized dependent variables. Future intervention research is needed that utilizes both culturally relevant independent and dependent variables to better support this population.

Application Of An Organizational Evaluation Capacity Assessment In A Multinational Ngo: A Case Study To Support Applied Practice, Ryan James Smyth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As evaluation capacity building (ECB) has rapidly emerged as a practice in human service organizations and as a field of academic inquiry, attention has focused on methods of evaluation capacity building while assessment of organizational evaluation capacity (EC) has lagged behind. To examine the practice of organizational evaluation capacity assessment, this dissertation presents two separate but related studies. In sub-study 1, I present a qualitative evidence synthesis of the research theorizing organizational evaluation capacity models. In sub-study 2, I support the implementation of one of the tools from the evidence-synthesis at a multinational human service organization. I use a concurrent …

Relationships, Relevance, And Reflection: How White Teachers Are Working To Dismantle White Supremacy In Their Classrooms Through Culturally Responsive Education, Zion W. Gezaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the multitude of ways in which White supremacy manifests in the education system and examines how White teachers specifically are working to dismantle White supremacy in middle school classrooms through culturally responsive education. This educational criticism and connoisseurship study focuses on the interactions of White teachers in relation to their Black students, along with observations of their teaching and planning methods. The following research questions guided this research: How are White teachers implementing a culturally responsive classroom environment for Black students? How do White educators plan and enact a culturally responsive curriculum for Black students? How do …

Transnational Religious Pluralism And Identity Formation: Oscar Romero And Salvadoran Diaspora After The Civil War, Kristian A. Diaz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project considers the cognitive dissonance experienced by Salvadoran Catholics as civil war violence and their Catholic faith came face-to-face with Romero’s path towards canonization gathered momentum. Through binational, ethnographic observation and interviews, I gathered diverse and sometimes contradictory perspectives of local Salvadorans, transnational pilgrims at the celebration of Romero’s beatification, and Salvadoran Catholics in Los Angeles. I center the beatification event rather than the canonization mass at the Vatican two years later, in 2018, because my primary concern is the meaning Romero holds for Salvadoran’s themselves, including those living in the United States. Through the beatification and canonization, the …

Development And Initial Validation Of An Acculturation Measure For Arab Expatriates In Qatar Using Mixed Methods, Sara Ali Ahmed Zikri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prior research on acculturation has predominantly focused on specific immigrant and ethnic groups in the United States, Europe, and Asia, and there is a lack of publicly available scales that measure acculturation among expatriates in countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The purpose of this study was to use a mixed methods research design to develop a theoretical framework of acculturation for white-collar Arab expatriates in Qatar as well as a culturally appropriate self-report acculturation measure. The acculturation stories and experiences of white-collar Arab expatriates in Qatar were qualitatively explored and analyzed, and their findings were used to construct an …

Does The Contraction History Of The Muscle Dictate Changes In Strength Following Resistance Training?, Zachary William Bell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Within-subject training models, whereby researchers apply an exercise condition to one limb, and a separate exercise condition to the opposing limb, have become routine amongst the exercise literature. However, no study has directly tested whether exercising one limb with a high-load condition will influence strength adaptations within the opposing limb, even when the opposite limb is training. Furthermore, muscle post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) is representing local level changes, however, more research is warranted to understand if this can be differentially impacted with different types (e.g. low load vs. high load) of resistance training. The purpose of this study was to …

"How It Was Made", Bethany Fitts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is a meta-autoethnography describing the researcher’s unfocused, rhizomatic research process throughout the COVID19 pandemic. Themes explored are the COVID19 pandemic, family, death, climate change, queer love, represenation, academia, genre, and religion. The study shows how multiple scales of grief arise during the research process. I locate this method within postcolonial theory of autoethnography that seeks to diversify structures within the academic genre.

Clean. Freaks., Christopher Jackson Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An excerpt from an experimental literary crime novel interrogating adolescent identity, internalized anti-queerness, mental illness, and white moderatism.

Ever Higher, Kacie Reilly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is part one of my first novel.

Examining The Effect Of The Florida Talented Twenty Program On Black Acceptance Rates At Flagship Institutions In Alabama, Juwan D. Robinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Americans are more college-educated today than at any point in history. Black Americans have experienced persistent inequities in higher education, especially in southern states. Alabama’s history of inequity, segregation, and lack of signature initiative to generate college access maintain and sustain gaps in higher education for Black Alabamians. Black students are especially underrepresented at the two flagship institutions in the state of Alabama. In a complex legal and political context, race-conscious efforts are often challenging to advance. This positions race-neutral efforts such as percentage plans as more viable in states such as Alabama. This study examines the application of the …

Essays On Migration, Andreas Benjamin Vortisch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation covers two evaluations on migration policies and their impact on distinct groups of immigrants.

The first chapter deals with a recent policy in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, which started to charge tuition fees from international students in 2017. Tertiary education remains free of charge in all other 15 states, which warrants a difference indifferences approach. My analysis with publicly available data focuses on enrollment rates and provides additional insights into the geographical distribution of changes in enrollment behavior. I find that the international enrollment share decreased by about 2 percentage points at treated institutions, largely thanks to …

Opioid Tapering And Mental Health Crisis In Older Adults, Shishir Maharjan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Opioid tapering and discontinuation have been increasing in recent years with the implementation of national prescribing guidelines. The study aimed to examine the relationship between opioid tapering and mental health crisis events in older Medicare beneficiaries.

Methods: A nested case-control study was conducted using the 2012-2018 5% national Medicare claims data. Older adults with chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) who were receiving long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) were included in the study Cases were defined as individuals experiencing mental health crisis events; controls were identified using incidence density sampling. The opioid tapering velocity was measured in the 120-day hazard period that …

The Terrors Of Everyday Life: The Gothic Novel As A Woman's Conduct Guide To Survival, 1791-1817, Jessica Berg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Gothic is often associated with the fantastical, with people and events that only take place within our darkest nightmares. In my thesis, I explore how, in the hands of Ann Radcliffe and Jane Austen, the Gothic exposes the hidden dangers of reality perpetuated by conduct literature. Within conduct manuals, thousands of regulations direct women’s behaviors and identify the perfect woman as one who exists passively within the safety of the domestic sphere. Radcliffe’s The Romance of the Forest (1791) and Austen’s Northanger Abbey (1817) engage in subterfuge against eighteenth-century conduct literature and expose the realities of the domestic sphere: …