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Early Parental Loss, Socioeconomic Stressors, And Health In Later Life: Evidence For Gender Disparity, Rong Fu

Open Access Dissertations

Drawing from the stress process model and the cumulative disadvantage theory, this dissertation examined how childhood and later life stressors affected cognitive and subjective health in older adults. Using three main articles, this dissertation investigated (1) the effect of early parental loss on cognitive well-being in Chinese oldest old; (2) the effect of intergenerational socioeconomic mobility on cognitive and subjective health in advanced age; and (3) the effect of different dimensions of socioeconomic status and perceived financial strain on subjective health in later life. Data were derived from the 2002 and 2005 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. …

The Relationship Between Academic Self-Concept And Math Achievement Among Students Without And With Learning Disabilities In Early And Late Adolescence, Qiuying Zhang

Open Access Dissertations

Academic self-concept has been extensively studied in terms of its relationship with academic achievement. The existing research has portrayed three theoretical models for this relationship: Self-Enhancement Model, Skill Development Model, and Reciprocal Model. The majority of results have provided support for a Reciprocal Model. So far, little research has been done in this area for students with learning disabilities (LD). Previous research has suggested that students without and with LD demonstrate differing developmental patterns in academic self-concept and math achievement. This study thus examined the relationship between academic self-concept and math achievement among students without and with LD. Further, the …

The Relationship Between Co-Curricular College Experiences And Students' Moral Development, Gina F. Astorini

Open Access Dissertations

This study addresses a growing concern of academic dishonesty in higher education based on the theory that an increase in moral development may lead to an increase in moral behavior. Students’ moral development and its relationship with student characteristics, co-curricular college experiences, and students’ level of involvement (degree of commitment) in those experiences were examined. Three research questions were posited: (1) What is the relationship between student background characteristics (sex, academic level, and age) and students moral development? (2) What is the nature of the relationship between undergraduate involvement in co-curricular experiences (student government association, Greek life, Greek life leadership, …

Technology-Based Training For Evidence-Based Practice, Leticia Duvivier

Open Access Dissertations

A self-paced online training was created to teach mental health providers how to conduct a high quality, empirically informed suicide risk assessment. The “Tree of Life” training was based on the Decision Tree Model of suicide risk assessment, which is informed by Joiner et al.’s Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (2009). The training was then evaluated through a randomized controlled trial assigning both students and professionals in mental health to either complete the training immediately, or to a waitlist control group. Although participants assigned to train did not have greater improvements in self-efficacy or in attitudes towards computer-based trainings than the …

"More Than The Mere Notes": Incorporating Analytical Skills Into The Collaborative Pianist's Process In Learning, Rehearsing, And Performing Repertoire, Lauralie Bell Pow

Open Access Dissertations

The benefits of analysis for performance have been well discussed in music literature. Less attention has been paid, however, to the application of analysis to performance in an ensemble setting. Such is the case with the collaborative pianist, whose career is built upon performing in ensembles large and small. Over a long history, this keyboard artist – in one of several guises: continuo player, accompanist, collaborative pianist – has been a central fixture in the Western music tradition. Yet the literature showing how music analysis can benefit the collaborative pianist in the learning, rehearsing, and performance stages remains relatively scarce. …

Examining Weight Gain In Treatment-Seeking African American Smokers: A Biopsychosocial Approach, Marcia D. Mcnutt

Open Access Dissertations

Research has shown that African Americans gain more than average weight after smoking cessation. However, few studies have examined 1) the pattern of weight gain and 2) factors associated with weight gain among African American smokers. The current study aimed to examine biopsychosocial predictors of weight gain in a sample of treatment-seekers. Data were drawn from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing the efficacy of a culturally specific cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) smoking cessation intervention among African Americans. Participants (N=342) completed assessments at baseline, the end of counseling (EOC), 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow ups. Baseline measures included salivary cortisol, …

Cyber Victimization, Cyber Aggression, And Adolescent Alcohol Use: Short-Term Prospective And Reciprocal Associations, Sherilynn Faith Chan

Open Access Dissertations

Cyber victimization and cyber aggression have been linked with numerous mental and physical health problems in adolescence. Emerging research suggests that cyber victimization and cyber aggression are also related to greater alcohol use; however, our understanding of these relationships remains limited. The purpose of this study was to examine characteristics of youth involved in cyber victimization and/or cyber aggression, as well as the short-term prospective and reciprocal associations between cyber victimization, cyber aggression, and adolescents’ drinking and binge drinking over the course of three months. The moderating role of impulse control difficulties, gender, and Hispanic ethnicity in these relationships was …

Sibling Rivalry Or Sibling Revelry: A Multifactorial Approach To Understanding The Sibling Relationship From The View Of Typically Developing Siblings Of Children With Asd, Christine Ghilain

Open Access Dissertations

The sibling relationship is the longest lasting relationship in a person’s life, and therefore significant research has sought to understanding genetic and environmental factors that shape the development of this long-lasting bond. The current study aimed to understand the experience of typically-developing (TD) siblings growing up with a sibling who has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and to determine if their experiences differ from neurotypical (NT) siblings (children who do not have a sibling with ASD). The focus of this study was on the TD siblings’ perceptions of their own self-concept, social support, parental partiality, and overall satisfaction with his …

Brief Psychosocial Intervention Effects On Benefit Finding Among Women With Breast Cancer And The Roles Of Distress And Ethnicity, Lisa M. Gudenkauf

Open Access Dissertations

Even while dealing with significant stressors related to breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, many women describe benefits derived from their cancer experience. Previous psychosocial interventions have been shown to increase benefit finding (BF) in post-surgical breast cancer patients, but these interventions have been rather lengthy and comprehensive in nature, raising the question of whether briefer, more specific psychosocial interventions would have similar effects on BF. Additionally, control groups were not attention-matched in previous studies, so the potential impact of group social support could not be controlled. Further, previous psychosocial interventions have examined intervention effects on women regardless of initial distress …

The New New Man: (Re)Articulations Of Masculinity In Post-Revolutionary Cuba, Gabriela Zaviezo

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation explores the way masculinity was created and rearticulated during Revolutionary and Post-revolutionary Cuba. I argue that The New Man and his masculinity is created by official documents such as speeches, magazines, comics, etc. produced by the government. Through the analysis of Reinaldo Arenas’s Arturo, la estrella más brillante, Senel Paz’s El lobo, el bosque y el hombre nuevo, and Abel González Melo’s Chamaco, informe en diez capítulos para representar I demonstrate how these texts engage with official discourse in order to create new expressions/possibilities of masculinity. Highlighting key elements of the three narratives, including productivity, specters of the …

Defining Abdominal Obesity As A Risk Factor For Coronary Heart Disease In The Us Hispanic Community Health Study/Study Of Latinos (Hchs/Sol), Diana A. Chirinos Medina

Open Access Dissertations

It is now well established that pronounced differences exist in prevalence of abdominal obesity across gender and ethnicity. Hispanic/Latinos, in particular, have been shown to have markedly distinct prevalence when compared to other ethnic populations around the world. Various organizations have highlighted the need to examine whether overall abdominal obesity cut points are appropriate for the use in this ethnic minority, particular highlighting the need of research among Hispanic/Latino residing in Western countries. This study used data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), the largest study of Hispanic/Latinos in the US, to: (1) establish optimal definitions for …

Substance Use And Hiv Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Vulnerable Populations: Substance Users, Std Clinic Patients And Hospitalized Hiv-Infected Patients, Yue Pan

Open Access Dissertations

Both HIV/AIDS and STD’s represent significant financial and public health burdens in the United States. Substance use and sexual risk behaviors play major roles in HIV/AIDS transmission, as well as in the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In this dissertation, we aim to 1) describe sexual risk and IDU behaviors and examine associations between viral suppression and HIV risk behaviors among hospitalized HIV-positive patients; 2) develop a new approach to examine the count of sexual acts using a fully disaggregated repeated measures design and show how this new approach can be used to evaluate the impact of substance use …

Cognitive Vulnerability For Social Anxiety And Depression: A Transdiagnostic Investigation Of Repetitive Negative Thinkers, Kimberly Anne Arditte

Open Access Dissertations

In the current study, emotional and cognitive vulnerability factors for social anxiety and depression were examined using an RDoC framework. The overarching goals of the study were (1) to elucidate the symptom-specific and/or transdiagnostic nature of two cognitive vulnerability factors, interpretation biases and executive control, and (2) to examine the synergistic impact of these cognitive processes on emotional responding and clinical symptoms. To address these aims, the study recruited a sample of individuals at risk for current or future difficulties with social anxiety and depression symptoms (i.e., persons reporting elevated levels of repetitive negative thinking). The study then investigated how …

The Development And Initial Validation Of A Multidimensional Scale Of Fairness, Johnathan Harrington Duff

Open Access Dissertations

Investigations in a variety of disciplines have identified associations between fair treatment and human health and well-being. However, the lack of a valid and practical instrument for assessing individual experiences of fair treatment has limited researchers’ ability to study this construct. The purpose of this study was to develop and establish the preliminary validity of a scale measuring personal experiences of fairness across various ecological levels. The two phases of this study were scale development and scale validation. Scale development included the generation of items, item revision, and analysis of content validity. A review of existing literature and qualitative data …

Measuring Motivation In Children Served By Head Start, Andres Sebastian Bustamante

Open Access Dissertations

There is a well-established achievement gap between children from low income families and their middle to high income counterparts. One avenue towards narrowing the achievement gap is improving domain-general school readiness skills, such as motivation, persistence, and preference for challenge which support learning regardless of content area. Motivation orientation, one example of a malleable domain-general construct, encompasses two approaches at opposite ends of a continuum: mastery and performance motivations. The former is characterized by viewing failure as an opportunity for growth, while the latter views failure as a confirmation of a low innate ability level. Interventions targeting motivation orientation have …

Sedentary Behavior Associations With Cardiometabolic Risk And Depressive Symptoms In Overweight/Obese Type 2 Diabetics: Results From The Calm-D Trial, Carrie E. Brintz

Open Access Dissertations

Increased sedentary behavior has detrimental associations with cardiometabolic risk factors and depression, and has been associated with greater risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes (T2DM), independent of engagement in moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). There are limited studies of sedentary behavior in patients who already have T2DM. The aims of the study were to determine (1) whether a latent factor including self-reported daily sedentary time and daily average number of pedometer steps was associated with cardiometabolic risk factors and depressive symptoms in overweight/obese T2DM patients, and (2) whether a multi-component lifestyle intervention was successful at reducing sedentary time compared …

What Drives Organizational Ambidexterity? Examining Institutional, Organizational, And Entrepreneurial Factors, Vladislav Rangelov Maksimov

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation contributes to the area of organizational ambidexterity by examining new antecedents and expanding the concept beyond its traditional realm of balancing exploitation and exploration, in three essays. Adopting a broader view of ambidexterity as the ability to perform contradictory strategic acts simultaneously, Essay 1 and Essay 3 introduce two new ambidextrous strategies respectively – institutional ambidexterity, which is a strategy to manage institutional compliance and influence at the same time, and co-competence, which is a strategy to develop both transactional competence and relational competence. In Essay 2, the dissertation also examines a construct within the traditional realm – …

Situational Determinism Reconsidered: An Interactionist Exploration Of The Effects Of Induced Mood, Agreeableness, And Kindness On Subsequent Helping Behavior, Gary Tyler Lefevor

Open Access Dissertations

Personality and social psychologists have debated the importance of trait and situational explanations of behavior for nearly a century (e.g., Epstein & O’Brien, 1985; Mischel, 1968). Though many contemporary personality and social psychologists advocate an interactionist paradigm for understanding the impact of situational factors and traits, most research studies trait or situational factors in isolation. Few studies of interaction effects have been conducted. Further, experiments exploring interaction effects have been limited by their reliance on a narrow understanding of traits and by their use of self-reported instead of observed helping behavior. The present study addresses these limitations by assessing the …

Body Mapping In The Vocal Studio: A Practical Guide For Application In Refining Alignment, Breath, And Resonance, Max Aquino Moreno

Open Access Dissertations

Current literature available in the subject of Body Mapping for singers tends to be very detailed and involved, requiring a large amount of study and time to grasp the concepts contained in the literature. This is partly why many voice teachers do not use Body Mapping as a tool in their studios. Another reason is because there are many different definitions of the term “Body Mapping” available in literature and on the web. This study defines “Body Mapping” as a supportive study that was developed by William Conable as an outgrowth of the Alexander Technique and other mind-body relationship methods. …

Dyadic Study Of Depression On Inflammation And Diurnal Cortisol Variation In Cancer Patients And Caregivers, Kelly M. Shaffer

Open Access Dissertations

Both cancer patients and their informal family caregivers develop chronic diseases earlier and more frequently than those who have not been affected by cancer. Elevated depressive symptoms, which are easily measureable and modifiable, have been linked to inflammation, dysregulated HPA axis functioning, and physical health decline in both cancer patients and healthy persons. Further, studies have shown patients’ and caregivers’ depressive symptoms to be correlated, and that patients’ distress relates to their caregivers’ poorer health, and vice versa. While it is known that one’s own depressive symptoms are a risk factor for one’s own inflammation and HPA axis dysregulation, and …

Misreading Mammy: Towards A Sexual Revolution Of Contemporary/Third Wave Black Feminisms, Nicole Racquel Carr

Open Access Dissertations

This study considers Mammy as a disturbing presence within the plantation household due to the inherent sexual threat lodged within her body. Building on Black Feminist criticism and Whiteness Studies, this study treats Mammy as white supremacist trope silencing black women by recasting abusive white patriarchs and their complicit white wives as products of their time period and thus not fully accountable for exploiting and dominating enslaved black women. Although substantial critical attention has been paid to Mammy’s position as surrogate mother and icon to an America nostalgic for the Old South, less attention has focused on Southern white women’s …

The Views Of Adolescent And Young Adult Cancer Survivors Regarding Their Fertility And Fertility Preservation, Katherine Hauck Perez

Open Access Dissertations

Female Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) cancer survivors often face potential fertility impairment due to cancer treatment. The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the experiences of female AYA cancer survivors regarding fertility preservation (FP) during the early stage of cancer diagnosis and treatment, a critical time for FP decision-making, and their experience regarding fertility during the survivorship stage. To date The Model for Care Across the Cancer Continuum (Hudson, 2005) has not been used in the context of fertility and FP. The model suggests there are three types of care an individual diagnosed with cancer transitions through, cancer …

The Influence Of Sex Hormones On The Female Singing Voice: A Review Of The Literature, 1971-2016, Vindhya Khare

Open Access Dissertations

Vocal pedagogy is a discipline steeped in traditions that have been passed down for generations, from voice teacher to singer. The mature singer then takes on the role of teacher and the cycle continues. For the twenty-first century voice teacher, the revered tradition of pedagogy must also include science. A voice degree program at most universities will include courses covering laryngeal anatomy, vocal production, and voice disorders. Widely used textbooks by authors such as Barbara Doscher, Scott McCoy, James C. McKinney, and Richard Miller provide a very useful and extensive study of the functionality of the singing voice, but little …

South Florida Visual Artists: Meaning And Practices When Making Artwork, Christina Sanchez Volatier

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation explored the process of art-making for visual artists through a sociological perspective. Visual artists are distinct in that they interact with and manipulate physical materials on a daily basis in order to visually communicate and share with other people. A visual artist’s creative artistic process is typically considered an expression of individualism and inter-subjectivity, however, this project investigated the social context of making artwork. The aim of this dissertation was to ground artists’ processes in their experiences and practices. This study used a qualitative method to explore artists’ work in order to understand the ways these artists engaged …

The Epistemology Of Enculturation, Joshua D. White

Open Access Dissertations

Is it irrational to believe something when that belief reflects the influence of one's culture or community? Some have argued that it is, especially when it comes to beliefs about controversial matters like religion, morality, and politics. I begin by situating the problem of cultural influence within the broader discussion surrounding irrelevant influences on our beliefs. After clarifying the way in which our beliefs are influenced by our cultures, I argue that neither the fact nor the recognition that one's belief has been influenced by one's culture is sufficient to render that belief unjustified or irrational.

Connecting Through Smartphones: Cognitive, Social, Emotional Motivations, And The Experience Of Value Perceptions, Song-Yi Youn

Open Access Dissertations

Smartphones became a dominant medium for communication with the emergence of converging technology. Since smartphones enable people to access various services, and to interact with other people within mobile social networks, users have become highly involved with such devices. To understand motivational factors associated with using smartphone, this study was informed by perceived cognition (i.e., expected outcomes) and social influence (i.e., social identity) from a social cognitive perspective, which was expanded to incorporate the dimension of emotional attachment.

To develop its “motivational framework”, this study adopted social cognitive theory and attachment theory. This study also investigated the “experience of value …

Writing Their Way To The University: An Investigation Of Chinese High School Students' Preparation For Writing In English In High Schools, Cram Schools, And Online, Cong Zhang

Open Access Dissertations

In this dissertation, drawing from activity theory, I investigate how Chinese students prepared themselves for undergraduate studies in U.S. universities in terms of English writing from three perspectives: English writing instruction in high schools, private supplementary tutoring (PST) in English writing in cram schools, and experience with writing online and using online resources. On the basis of data from a questionnaire, interviews, classroom observations, and examinations of written materials and a forum, I provide a picture of the writing instruction experience and writing background that Chinese students bring to writing classrooms in U.S. universities. It was found that other than …

A Cross-Sectional And Mixed-Method Assessment Of Safety Culture And Safety Climate At A Regional Airline, Micah S. Walala

Open Access Dissertations

The researcher applied a mixed methods approach to conduct a cross-sectional assessment of the safety culture, safety climate, and SMS at a regional airline in the United States. Data collection techniques were comprised of interview, on-line-survey, and a focus group activity. Participants in the current study were maintenance technicians, flight attendants, dispatchers, pilots, and managers. Results indicated significant differences of perception of safety climate, safety culture, and Safety Management System between the maintenance technicians and flight attendants. The length of time a participant had worked at the subject airline and age of the participant appeared to be significant factors of …

Utilizing The Signaling Theory In Order To Enhance Minority Recruitment In Law Enforcement, Donald B. Terheide

Open Access Dissertations

Minority recruitment has been an emphasis for law enforcement agencies for decades. These agencies have attempted to recruit minority officers through different venues, including college visits, career fairs, advertising, high school visits, community organizations, and other avenues in an attempt to have their department more representative of the community. However, there has been a limited amount of research on the potential applicants’ perspective concerning how these recruiting efforts have persuaded them, and the messages conveyed to the applicants.

This dissertation has been written utilizing the Signaling Theory, and determining what signals are sent to minority applicants, and how they are …

Morality, Emotion, And Policy Making: Environmental Decision Making About Recycled Water, Julia Nicole Wester

Open Access Dissertations

Water scarcity and distribution of global water supplies are central to sustainable development, and are likely to be exacerbated by climate change and increasing urbanization. Water reuse has been proposed as a potential solution in some areas, as it is relatively cheaper than, and environmentally preferable to, alternatives such as desalination. In the industrialized world, a psychological aversion to recycled water has been well documented, characterized by reactions of disgust. In several cases, public opposition alone – often driven by messages framed in terms of disgust – has overturned plans to reuse water (i.e., California’s ‘toilet to tap’ campaign and …