Digital Commons Network^™

Global Renewable And Nonrenewable Energy Use Impact Assessment Of U.S. Manufacturing: An Integrated Cradle-To-Gate Lca And Dea Approach, Bahadir Ezici

Master's Theses

In this thesis, U.S. manufacturing industries` global supply chain-linked energy use and economic output are investigated considering a total of 16 renewable and nonrenewable energy carriers. A multiregion input output (MRIO) framework is employed to conduct the global supply chain-linked energy use impact assessment. The study period was between 1995 and 2014 based on data availability. Thus, 20 MRIO models were developed. Each MRIO model consists of the 40 largest economies of the world and the rest of the world (ROW) as the 41st country. Each country’s economy was structured into 35 manufacturing and service industries based on the Worth …

Testimonies Of Identity And Intimate Partner Violence, Jamie Berrien

Master's Theses

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is an epidemic that has impacted millions of women in our country. IPV is found in every community and impacts women from all races, ethnicities, religion, background, and socio-economic status. Yet, research shows that women in the United States who are not a part of the dominant culture experience IPV at a much higher rate than white women. This study focuses on the sacred testimonies of six women who have experienced IPV, as well as an analysis of the women's identities and other forms of oppression which impacts her experiences and survival of the violence.

On The Front Lines: Service Providers Respond To The Haitian Refugee Crisis, Karina Castro

Master's Theses

Haitian Refugees arrived in Tijuana in mass numbers in the fall of 2016, with the dream of receiving asylum in the United States. However, upon their arrival, U.S. immigration policy changed and Tijuana became their permanent home as it strived to absorb this new population. In this paper I will address how Tijuana service-providers responded to this humanitarian crisis and were affected by U.S. and Mexican policies in their ability to support the integration of Haitian refugees in their communities. The historical context of Haitian migration history will provide an overview of push factors via an analysis of the economic, …

Impact Of Innovative Menstrual Technology And Awareness On Female Empowerment Outcomes In Rural Nepal, Anjali Limbu

Master's Theses

In developing countries, menstruation poses two significant challenges for females. First, the resources required for periods are expensive for those in low-income communities. Hence, the absence of such menstrual products lowers females’ access to schooling and employment. Next, periods are also heavily stigmatized – especially in poorer or rural areas. Such taboos surrounding menstruation negatively impacts females’ psychological development and hamper their prospects of socialization. Thus, to analyze this issue, we ran a randomized control trial in Nepal, where we provided reusable menstrual pads and / or health seminar to 312 schoolgirls and 100 of their mothers. Our outcomes demonstrate …

Current Status Of Professional Networks Addressing Sex Education In The United States: An Initial Exploratory Thematic Analysis, Aliya Subhit

Master's Theses

Sex education in the United States has been a highly debated topic. The history of sex education depicts the changing narratives of both the public and the government’s ideals on the topic. Due to the discrepancy between the publics attitudes and perceptions versus the governments ideals, this thesis is the first of its kind to conduct an initial thematic analysis of available bodies of knowledge across the five core mental health disciplines (i.e., marriage and family therapy, psychiatry, clinical psychology, clinical social work, and psychiatric nursing) to determine how the current state of sex education programs in the U.S. is …

The Burden Of Child Sexual Abuse In Connecticut Emergency Departments, 2011 To 2014, Kathryn Bentivegna

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Resiliency, Bajo Que Costó? How Young Undocumented Mexicans Navigate Trauma And Survival, Julia Mendes

Master's Theses

Under the Trump administration, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has become a "hot topic" in political discourse and in the media. Amidst this discourse, however, the stories of DACA recipients whose lives are drastically affected by this political drama are often overlooked. Furthermore, a problematic narrative has emerged labeling the "dreamers" as "good immigrants" who need to be saved at the expense of their families, relatives, and other undocumented immigrants who do not fit into the "dreamer" category. Another problematic aspect of current research is celebrating this aspect of "resiliency" that undocumented youth portray and ignoring the consequences this …

What's Wrong With Being Single: Lowered Relational Value Bias Toward Single People, Darian Farrell

Master's Theses

This study examined the perceived relational value of single individuals (compared to that of coupled individuals). I hypothesized that, participants would be more likely to make the conjunction fallacy in the single condition vs. the coupled condition, when asked whether or not it was more likely that the target person from the condition was a single teacher vs. teacher. The data supported my hypothesis: participants in the single condition were significantly more likely to make the conjunction fallacy than participants in the coupled condition. My study also tested whether or not the need to belong acted as a moderator for …

Factors Influencing Maternal Involvement In Early Childhood: Exploring The Roles Of Maternal Stress And Children’S Narrative Representations Of Mothers, Rahmet Akpolat

Master's Theses

For children from low-income families, parent school involvement can be a crucial protective factor that supports children’s cognitive and emotional development. The present study seeks to explore how maternal stress in early childhood is associated with mothers’ later school involvement and whether children’s internalized positive, disciplinary and negative maternal representations act as potential mediators of this relationship. Currently, little research has been done on the contextual factors influencing parent school involvement in early childhood and this study aims to fill this gap in the literature. The data included 169 children and mothers from low-income families. Mothers completed questionnaires designed to …

The Moderating Effect Of Gender And Tenure On The Relationship Between Perceived Supervisor Support And Organizational Commitment, Megan Evelyn Little

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which the demographic variables of gender and tenure influence the strength and direction of the relationship between perceived supervisor support and organizational commitment. Responses to a 2014 organization-wide employee opinion survey from 383 employees within a computer software company were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression. In support of previous research, results from this study lay credence to the finding that perceived supervisor support has a positive, significant relationship with organizational commitment such that individuals who felt supported by their supervisors were more likely to report higher levels of organizational …

Contextual Influences On A Coping Skills Intervention For Adolescents In Substance Use Recovery, Morica Hutchison

Master's Theses

Co-occurring disorders of substance use and mental health conditions occur in about 75% of adolescents, with depression ranked as the second most common co-occurring disorder, in 20-30% of adolescents (Hersh et al., 2014; Shrier et al., 2003). Contextual factors (i.e. parental substance use and DCF involvement) put adolescents at increased risk of substance use initiation and co-morbid depression (Clark et al., 2005; Walden et al., 2007). Results from the current literature are undetermined on how to best address co-occurring substance use disorders (SUD) and mental health diagnoses in adolescents. Researchers sought to do this in the current study through a …

A Comparative Analysis Of Access To Reproductive Health Care In Laos And Southeast Asia, Malakhone Sonethavong

Master's Theses

This thesis research aims to unravel main barriers that prevent women from being able to access reproductive health care in Laos in comparison with other two Southeast Asia countries which are Thailand and Vietnam. The comparison of Laos, Thailand and Vietnam will be explored through an analysis of a literature review. This research explores the critical issues and on finding a mutual understanding between the role of the policy makers and the implementers of policies. At the end of the research, some recommendations on health care system improvement and personal perspective towards the rights of women on reproductive health and …

“A (Blind) Woman's Place Is (Teaching) In The Home”: The Life Of Kate Foley, 1873-1940, Angela Gates

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the life and career of Kate Foley, home teacher of the blind with the California State Library from 1914-1940. The purpose of this investigation is to determine how Foley, who was disabled, built a successful career with the state library despite facing significant discrimination and prejudice. Using a wide variety of primary source material, including letters, library publications, conference proceedings, newspaper articles, and census data, this biography evaluates Foley’s pioneering role as well as the challenges she faced. Home teaching provided a new vocational opportunity for blind women, whose professional choices were extremely limited. Despite her unique …

The Association Of Ethnic-Racial Socialization With Ethnic-Racial Identity In Black Youth: A Meta-Analysis, Khris-Ann K. Small

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Preventive Health Care Among Immigrant Sudanese Women In The Greater Hartford Area Of Connecticut, Fawatih Y. Mohamed-Abouh

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Invisible People Of The Invisible Coast: The Resilience Of People Experiencing Homelessness To Disasters On The Alabama, Louisiana, And Mississippi Gulf Coasts, Nicole Elizabeth Callais

Master's Theses

While extensive research has been conducted on vulnerability and resilience with regard to hazards, very few studies have researched the resilience of homeless populations. The Gulf Coast region is densely populated and susceptible to natural and anthropogenic hazards. Climate change studies indicate that this region will experience an increase in severe and intense tropical cyclones[1], thereby increasing the risk of experiencing adverse impacts from future coastal hazards. While local government agencies in this region have policies in place to protect communities, these policies tend to exclude any action regarding the evacuation and safety of the homeless population.

In …

The Organization Of Technology In The Pine Hills Of Mississippi, Ronald W. Wise Jr.

Master's Theses

This thesis details the use of experimental flintknapping to better understand stone tool production and the organization of technology among Woodland period hunter-gatherers within the Pine Hills region of Mississippi. The Pine Hills region is characterized archaeologically by the presence of numerous sites consisting of flake scatters and little other material remains. Local tool stone resources consist of high grade chert in the form of small river cobbles, which restricts potential tool forms available to users.

Research for this project focused on the statistical analysis of debitage created during the experimental replication of stone tools using local chert cobbles. Special …

Environmentally Sustainable Practices At Small Community Sport Facilities, John Schumacher

Master's Theses

Despite the “greening” trend of professional/university sport organizations adopting more environmentally friendly approaches to the management of their sport facilities, a significant “greening gap” has grown between those organizations and the thousands of small community sport facilities (SCSFs) across the country that have yet been able to integrate environmentally sustainable (ES) policies into their operations and management.

As limited research existed in this area, I conducted a qualitative research investigation utilizing the framework of the diffusion of innovation theory to explore SCSF managers’ perceptions concerning the implementation of ES in the maintenance and operation of their facilities. I conducted interviews …

Assessing Factors Related To Clinicians’ Attitudes Towards Suicide Prevention, Amanda L. Johnson

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Student Perceptions Of Mentally Ill Offenders, Kimberly Nicole Rayborn

Master's Theses

Since deinstitutionalization, the responsibility for mentally ill members of society has shifted to the criminal justice system in a process of trans-institutionalization or “criminalization of mental illness” (Slate & Johnson, 2008). Though various groups have been studied to ascertain their perception of mentally ill individuals and offenders, previous research focuses largely on students of psychology, social work, and medicine. Little research has been conducted regarding the perceptions of students of criminal justice toward mental illness, despite the increasing involvement of the criminal justice system in treating and handling mentally ill individuals in the past thirty years. This exploratory research serves …

Examining Urban African American Adolescent Perceptions Of Neighborhood And Time Spent In Risky Contexts: Cross-Sectionally And Longitudinally, Kevin Michael Miller

Master's Theses

The purpose of the current study was to cross-sectionally and longitudinally examine the relationship between adolescent perceptions of their neighborhood and time spent in “risky contexts.” Specifically, the relationship between adolescent perceptions of neighborhood danger and the percent of time spent with older peers or outside was examined. In addition, this study analyzed the relationship between youth perceptions of neighborhood support and the percent time they spent with older peers or outside. All these relationships were also explored in regard to the moderating impact of gender and parental monitoring. An Experience Time Sampling technique (ESM) was utilized to determine how …

The Psychological Effects Of Racial Discrimination And Internalized Mental Illness Stigma On A Community Sample Of Blacks And Latinos, Andrea E. Depetris

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Client Perceptions Of Engagement In Child Welfare And Housing Services, Katherine Bryce

Master's Theses

For families to benefit from services, they must be engaged. A number of factors in child welfare contribute to client engagement, among them individual, parent and family characteristics, contextual influences, and worker variables. The existing literature offers little insight into families who are experiencing problems in both child welfare and housing needs and how this affects engagement in services. This pilot study examined 10 families and compared client engagement across three conditions: (1) Intensive Supportive Housing for Families (ISHF), (2) Supportive Housing for Families (SHF), and (3) child welfare (DCF) business as (BAU), which differ systematically on elements including case …

The Effect Of Overactive Bladder Syndrome On Health-Related Quality Of Life In An Assisted-Living Community, Allison M. Berken

Master's Theses

This study investigated the effect of overactive bladder syndrome on the health-related quality of life of 32 residents (mean age 85.4) living in an assisted-living community, using widely-used and well-validated questionnaires (the OABSS and the SF-20, to assess overactive bladder and health-related quality of life, respectively). Approximately 31% of the study population satisfied the criteria for the diagnosis of overactive bladder syndrome. No significant correlation was found between the subjects’ scores on the overactive bladder and health related quality of life inventories. Nor was any association found between overactive bladder symptoms and the six component measures of the SF-20 (physical …

Identifying Predictors Of Treatment Outcomes In Substance-Abusing Parents In A Recovery Case Management Program In Connecticut, Staceyann Smith

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Settlement Stage: How Hull House Bridged Leisure, Creativity, And Play, Ann Goodson

Master's Theses

Of the settlement house movement in the United States at the turn of the century, perhaps the most famous of these houses was Chicago's Hull House. Founded in a slum by Jane Addams, Hull House provided healthcare, education, recreation, and childcare services to recent European immigrants living in extreme poverty . While the impact of Addam's work at Hull House on modern sociology, education, social work, welfare and child labor laws have been well documented, less celebrated are the contributions made by the arts education programs at Hull House to modern creative dramatics.

This thesis examines the presence of arts …

Development Of The Personal And Professional Self-Care Scale, Katherine Elizabeth Dorociak

Master's Theses

In recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on the importance of self- care for psychologists and other mental health professionals. However, the research on self-care is limited because of the lack of an empirically based, psychometrically sound measure of this construct. Thus, the purpose of this project was to develop a measure of personal and professional self-care. The preliminary phase involved the development of a self-care definition and a two-factor framework that divided self-care into personal and professional activities. Based on this definition and framework, self-care items were generated for expert evaluation. After incorporating the expert feedback, 52 …

Returning Citizens? The Path From Prison To Politics Among The Formerly Incarcerated, Quintin A. Williams

Master's Theses

This project examines the experiences of a group of formerly incarcerated persons involved in community organizing efforts for felon empowerment. Scholarly works often focus on what is being done on behalf of the formerly incarcerated, this work highlights how men and women with records advocate for themselves. Drawing on 18 months of participant observation and 18 in-depth interviews with a Chicago based group called FORCE (Fighting to Overcome Records and Create Equality) I found that meanings of redemption were essential to advocacy and operated as an imperative. The redemption imperative both constrained and enabled advocacy. It constrained advocacy in its …

Social Policy Shifts And The Relationship Between Snap Workers And Their Clients, Latrese Annette Monden

Master's Theses

In an effort to better understand how federal social policy changes shape the ways in which public service workers assist their clients in obtaining food benefits through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP), previously known as food stamps, this study uses ethnography and interviews to capture the experiences of workers and their clients. Specifically, it examines how public service workers implement new policies while maintaining their professional identities and responding to the mission of their organization. These goals may be in tension. The key findings are that workers do not resist changes in policy because of the limitations of their job …

Predictors Of Major Commitment, Anna Jill Womack

Master's Theses

Contextual (e.g. job fit, job involvement), individual (e.g. job satisfaction, need for achievement), and demographic (e.g. gender, educational level) factors have been related to forms of career commitment (i.e. affective, continuance, and normative commitment), highlighting that the commitment one feels toward his or her career is a complex variable. Furthermore, commitment has been associated with intent to remain within a profession or organization (Bowling, Beehr, & Lepisto, 2006; Den Hartog & Belschak, 2007; Duffy, Dik, & Steger, 2011; Goulet & Singh, 2002), suggesting that commitment is an important component of retention within a career. Correspondingly, commitment to one's academic major …