Digital Commons Network^™

Stress Management For Cancer Survivors Using A Technologically Adapted Psychosocial Intervention: A Randomized Trial Determining The Effect Of Expressive Writing On Psychoneuroimmunology Based Outcomes, Utkarsh B. Subnis

Theses and Dissertations

Patients with cancer transitioning from completing their final cancer treatments to survivorship are particularly at risk for experiencing psychosocial stress, and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has referred to these cancer patients as “lost in transition.” In this study, patients with cancer in their transition phase after completing their final radiation treatment were defined as cancer survivors (CS). CS must deal with chronic stressors such as the fear of cancer recurrence as well as the resumption of their roles in their family and work lives. Chronic stress impacts the nervous system and increases secretion of stress hormones (e.g. cortisol) from …

Nonfiction, Documentary And Family Narrative: An Intersection Of Representational Discourses And Creative Practices, Kristine T. Weatherston

Theses and Dissertations

Nonfiction, Documentary, and Family Narrative:
 An Intersection of Representational Discourses and Creative Practices explores the role of personal memory, family history, and inter-generational storytelling as the basis for making a nonfiction film. The film, American Boy, tells the story of my mother’s immigration to the United States after the failed Hungarian Revolution of 1956, opening a discussion of four generations of my family life in the context of historical events, exile, self re-invention, and identity formation. As a media producer and nonfiction author, I narrate my understanding of these events to my infant son, as a way of communicating …

Perceptions Of And Implicit Attitudes Toward Women: The Influence Of Parental Status, Race, And Label Choice, Annalucia Bays

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research suggests that childfree and childless women are perceived more negatively than mothers. This study investigated attitudes based on parental status, race, and descriptive label. Undergraduate students (N = 386) were randomized to consider targets described as childless, childfree, or mothers/parents. Participants completed a personality characteristic rating scale, the competence and warmth scales of the Stereotype Content Model, an evaluation thermometer, a measure of pronatalism, and a Single Category Implicit Association Test. Childless and childfree women of all races were perceived more negatively than mothers, and women in all parental status groups were ambivalently stereotyped. Implicit attitudes favored …

Video Games: Their Effect On Society And How We Must Modernize Our Pedagogy For Students Of The Digital Age, Christopher J. Baker

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to explore how video games have become an extremely beneficial tool in regards to education, art, medicine, psychology, economics, and beyond. Chapter 1 focuses on how ubiquitous video games have become in America, and what makes video games such a uniquely enjoyable experience to warrant such popularity. Chapter 2 explores how video games have become instrumental in various fields. Chapter 3 discusses the role that video games now play in the world of education; specifically how we, as educators, must adapt a modern pedagogy best suited to students who have grown up with video games, which have …

Why Female Suicide Bombers? A Closer Look At The Liberation Tigers Of Tamil Eelam And Chechen Separatists, Latisha T. Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

The central hypothesis of this study is that terrorist organizations choose to use females as suicide bombers not only as tactical innovation but also to “signal” or send a message to various audiences. In order to meet the research objectives of this study, two terrorist organizations—the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Chechen Separatists or those individuals associated with the Chechen Resistance—are examined in detail from their inception through 2013 using a structured focused comparison methodology.

Evidence is found to support both of the studies’ main hypotheses. First, female suicide bombers are used by terrorist organizations because they are …

Visualization, Viewer And Emotion: An Empirical Study Of Cognition And Affective Responses To Infographics Used For Crisis Communication, Sean M. Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

A 3 (crisis response strategy) x 3 (medium) factorial design experiment was conducted to determine if information graphics conveyed through online news sources may be more beneficial for organizational reputations during some crisis situations than the use of news videos and text-based news stories. Variables examined include cognitive and affective appraisal, third-person effect, behavioral response and crisis response strategy.

Recent research in organizational crisis communications has pointed to the fact that more information is needed regarding how individuals react cognitively and affectively to crisis communications. Current crisis communications literature is also sparse concerning the behavioral aspects of crisis message reception …

Follow-Up Evaluation Of Treatment For Anxiety And Depression Provided In A University-Based Primary Care Clinic, Renée M. Grinnell

Theses and Dissertations

Although integrated primary care psychology services are becoming increasingly common, the literature lacks adequate research support for the longitudinal durability of treatment effects following the conclusion of brief primary care interventions. This study served as a follow-up program evaluation of psychological services for depression and anxiety provided at the Medical College of Virginia’s Ambulatory Care Center in Richmond, Virginia. Data were collected on 47 adult primary care patients who received treatment for depression and/or anxiety between six and 18 months prior to the follow-up telephone call. Data were collected on the trajectory of depression scores throughout and following treatment, treatment …

Quality Of Life In Emerging Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Staci Carr

Theses and Dissertations

This study is focused on exploring quality of life in young adults in the autism spectrum and the factors that contribute to their own perception of satisfaction with their lives. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disability that is associated with deficits in social interaction and communication and with restricted and repetitive behaviors (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). There has been a documented increase in the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), making it to be one of the fastest growing diagnosed disabilities in children (Hartley-McAndrew, 2014). In the United States, the prevalence of ASD is approximately 1 in 68 children, …

Transportation Safety In Virginia: Positive Changes And Future Prospects, Nouran Hakami

Theses and Dissertations

Measured by the level of transportation safety, the Commonwealth of Virginia stands out from all the States because despite increased need for mobility, it manages to maintain its safety indices at exceptionally good levels. In many respects we can attribute this success to the comprehensive Strategic Highway Safety Plan of Virginia (SHSP), which is, as concluded from the analysis of its analogues, among the best in the US. The programs and policies described in this document embrace all aspects of transportation safety and create a harmonious system. To assess the effectiveness of the SHSP, this thesis used correlation and regression …

Where Does Electronic Aggression Fit?: A Comparison Of Dimensional And Categorical Models Of Adolescent Aggression, Krista R. Mehari

Theses and Dissertations

Electronic aggression is a rapidly growing focus of research, but it lacks a unifying theoretical framework that is necessary to advance the field. The lack of a theoretical framework has led to inconsistencies in measurement of electronic aggression, making it difficult to draw conclusions across studies. In general, researchers have assumed that electronic aggression constitutes a new form of aggression, a counterpart to physical, verbal, and relational aggression, due to unique features surrounding the perpetration of electronic aggression. Furthermore, researchers have treated electronic aggression as a categorical variable based on the assumption that “cyberbullies” constitute a distinct group of adolescents. …

Parenting Practices And Parenting Stress In African American Families Of Children With And Without Adhd, Annie Rabinovitch

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined differences in parenting practices and parenting stress between 44 African American maternal caregivers of children ages 6-10 with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and 25 caregivers of children without ADHD. Results indicated significant group differences on inconsistent discipline, as child ADHD significantly predicted this parenting construct. There were no mean group differences in positive parenting. Parenting stress was related to parenting practices for the caregivers of children without ADHD, but was unrelated to parenting practices among control caregivers. Child ADHD predicted several subscales of the Parenting Stress Index. However, child ADHD failed to be a significant predictor when a …

Designing Connection, Laurie K. Culshaw

Theses and Dissertations

Social connection is an essential human need. Personal connections exist at a variety of depths and within different types of relationships. Small daily choices determine the strength of those connections and their impact on our well-being as individuals and as a community. Modern society and technology have altered the speed and channels of connection, increasing communication but decreasing meaningful connection. It is critical to understand how the methods of communication affect the depth of connections. Through a series of participatory graphic design projects, I analyze the strengths and weaknesses of one-on-one, small group and community connections within an established taxonomy …

Epigenetic Alterations Of Toll-Like Receptors By Tet2 In Spontaneous Preterm Labor, Anuja Chumble

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing evidence implicates the presence of bacteria in intrauterine tissues as an important risk factor for spontaneous preterm labor. Epigenetic alterations of innate immunity genes may increase the mother’s sensitivity to subclinical levels of bacteria. This study examined the presence of TET2, TLR-2, and TLR-9 in intrauterine tissue, and evaluated whether epigenetic alterations of these genes, as well as IL-8, changed their expression in human decidual tissue and a macrophage cell culture. Immunohistochemicalstaining was used to detect the presence of these proteins in intrauterine tissue. Gene expression changes were evaluated in stimulated monocytes and macrophages. Fluorescence immunohistochemistry was used to …

Wildlife Damage Management: Prevention, Problem Solving And Conflict Resolution, Travis L. Devault

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.

Do I Have A Bridge For You: Fiduciary Duties And Investment Advice, Francis J. Facciolo

Faculty Publications

(Excerpt)

The debate about financial advice in the United States has taken a wrong turn. Instead of focusing on particular practices and the potential that these practices raise for conflicts of interest between advisers and their clients, the debate has focused recently on whether brokers, advisers to municipal and state issuers, and advisers to employee benefit plans regulated by ERISA should be held to a fiduciary duty standard. A fiduciary standard implies, in the words of Justice Cardozo, that “[a] trustee is held to something stricter that the morals of the market place. Not honesty alone, but the punctilio of …

The Law And Economics Of Corporate Social Responsibility And Greenwashing, Miriam A. Cherry

Faculty Publications

In this symposium article, I explore the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the threat of greenwashing. In the first part of the article, I start with first principles, examining the origins of greenwashing, structuring its definitions, and identifying the economic incentives that lead firms into the practice. The second part of this article examines the legal structure that allows greenwashing to occur, and with it, explores the pervasiveness and extent of greenwashing. The third part of this article articulates the harms of greenwashing. Intuitively, greenwashing involves deception, falsity, and hypocrisy that reflexively seem problematic. Identifying the actual harm …

Blind Injustice: The Supreme Court, Implicit Racial Bias, And The Racial Disparity In The Criminal Justice System, Tyler Rose Clemons

Faculty Publications

(Excerpt)

“The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.” This statement by Chief Justice John Roberts in 2007 is alluring in both its grammatical symmetry and its logical simplicity. Yet it encapsulates the naiveté of the view of racial discrimination currently held by the majority of the justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. Chief Justice Roberts’s assertion contains the implied assumption that the only racial discrimination that exists—or at least the only kind that matters under the Constitution—is explicit and susceptible to conscious control. Decades of …

Prison Health Care After The Affordable Care Act: Envisioning An End To The Policy Of Neglect, Evelyn Malavé

Faculty Publications

Inadequate prison health care has created a health crisis for reentering prisoners and their communities—a crisis that is exacerbated by barriers to employment and other collateral consequences of release. This Note will first examine how current Eighth Amendment doctrine has failed to sufficiently regulate prison health care so as to have any significant effect on the crisis. Next, it will argue that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) alters the Eighth Amendment analysis by triggering a change in the “evolving standards of decency” that guide the doctrine. Specifically, this Note will argue that, after the passage of the ACA, releasing sick, …

Impeachment By Unreliable Conviction, Anna Roberts

Faculty Publications

This Article offers a new critique of Federal Rule of Evidence 609, which permits impeachment of criminal defendants by means of their prior criminal convictions. In admitting convictions as impeachment evidence, courts are wrongly assuming that such convictions are necessarily reliable indicators of relative culpability. Courts assume that convictions are the product of a fair fight, that they demonstrate relative culpability, and that they connote moral culpability. But current prosecutorial practice and other data undermine each of these assumptions. Accordingly, this Article proposes that before a conviction is used for impeachment, there should be an assessment of the extent to …

High Hopes: Fostering A Culture Of Hope At A Community College, Mary Wells, Emily Gilbert, Lisa Mahle-Grisez, Reece Newman, Kathy Rowell

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

A recent report from the American Association of Community Colleges indicates that about half of first-year students do not return for a second year, and 35% of students withdraw despite having an A or B average. These students may have particularly challenging circumstances, such as juggling family and work obligations along with school. The authors suggest that students’ sense of “hopefulness” forecasts their academic success and persistence, and offer an account of their ongoing campus-wide efforts to create more hopeful classrooms and experiences for their students.

Ethnic Identity, Gender, And Adolescent Attitude Toward School: Adaptive Perspectives In Diverse Settings, Margaret Zoller Booth, Erin M. Curran, Christopher J. Frey, Jean M. Gerard, Bruce Collet, Jennifer Bartimole

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

The relationships between adolescent ethnic identity and attitudes toward school and school climate are investigated in a small, multiracial/multiethnic city in the Great Lakes region with ethnically diverse adolescents taught by primarily White teachers. The mixed methods investigation of 986 eighth through eleventh grade students during the 2010-2011 academic year suggests that the relationship between ethnic identity and attitude toward school is a complex interaction among individual characteristics of ethnicity/race, ethnic identity, gender, and ecological context. Quantitative results reveal that White female and Hispanic and African American male students exhibit strong ethnic identity that correlates positively with school attitude; however, …

Impact Of Entrepreneurship Education On Entrepreneurial Intentions Of University Students In Egypt, Hala Wasef Hattab, Hala Wasef Hattab

Business Administration

No abstract provided.

Melatonin Is Effective In Reducing Stress-Induced Organ Damage In Wistar Albino Rats, Mukaddes Eşrefoğlu, Ayşi̇n Akinci Bak, Hülya Elbe, Eli̇f Taşlidere, Asli Çeti̇n, Burhan Ateş

Turkish Journal of Biology

In the present study, we tried to investigate the effects of melatonin, a novel antioxidant and a potent free radical scavenger, in stress-induced cerebral, cerebellar, cardiac, and hepatic oxidative damage using microscopic and biochemical analysis. A total of 32 male Wistar albino rats were divided into control, stress, stress + saline, and stress + melatonin groups. The rats from the stress groups were exposed to high stress conditions of starvation, immobilization, and cold exposure. The rats from the stress + melatonin group received melatonin daily at 20 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally for 7 days. At the end of the experiment, …

A Whole Grain Education Program For Older Adults: Its Effectiveness On Older Adults' Knowledge And Intake Of Whole Grains And Its Implications For Use With Younger Adults, Kristin Emily Davis

Master's Theses and Capstones

The average adult in America eats less than one serving of the recommended three serving minimum of whole grains each day. Consumption of whole grains in older adults is particularly low; consumption in college students is even lower. This pilot study investigated the effectiveness of a three-session nutrition education program, entitled "Is It Whole Grain?" to improve older adults knowledge, identification and consumption of whole grains. Based on the analysis of pre- and post- intervention whole grain questionnaire responses from 157 older adults, aged 60 or older, residing in New Hampshire and Iowa, significant improvements in older adults' knowledge and …

Enhancing The Impact Of Online Simulations Through Blended Learning: A Critical Incident Approach, Jonathan Lean, Jonathan Moizer, R Newberry

Plymouth Business School

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe an approach for utilising a critical incident method within the context of an online business simulation game in order to provide an effective framework for reflective learning. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a review of pertinent literature to place the critical incident technique within the novel context of simulation gaming. Through presenting a case study of practice, it goes on to describe a blended learning approach that combines online simulation with post-simulation reflection based on the critical incident method. An action research approach is adopted as a framework for reflection …

Presuming Consent To Posthumous Reproduction , Hilary Young

Journal of Law and Health

I begin by explaining what presuming consent to posthumous reproduction would mean, then justify a presumed consent policy in some circumstances by considering the relevant interests at stake. Specifically, I distinguish between a person’s interest, while alive, in not being made a genetic parent after his death, and a dead person’s interest in not being made a genetic parent. I then examine the nature of the surviving partner’s interest in reproducing with her deceased partner. Each of these interests varies depending on the type of posthumous reproduction at stake. For example, all things being equal, reproduction involving interferences with a …

Elder Self-Neglect And Adult Protective Services: Ohio Needs To Do More, William White

Journal of Law and Health

Ohio APS statutes are antiquated, do not reflect the increasingly complex needs of self-neglecting elderly, and need to be changed to decrease the likelihood of significant self-harm or even death, as represented in the story of Carlene. Section II of this paper provides background information on elder self-neglect and APS. Section III discusses why Ohio needs to mandate that APS jurisdiction includes nursing facilities and how the law could be effectively changed. Section IV discusses how APS interventions need to evolve to meet the diverse needs of the growing elderly population; a singular investigative response no longer fits for every …

The Highs Of Tomorrow: Why New Laws And Policies Are Needed To Meet The Unique Challenges Of Synthetic Drugs , Joseph A. Cohen

Journal of Law and Health

This article reviews the federal government’s attempts to control the influx of synthetic drugs, particularly synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones, into the U.S. recreational drug market since 2008. It offers three recommendations targeted at Congress, the DEA, and the Department of State on ways to prevent and control synthetic drug use in America: (1) Congress should grant the DEA a new “immediate scheduling” authority; (2) the DEA should improve information sharing with states; and (3) the Department of State and the DEA should prioritize the development of a global early warning system.

Chaperoning Love Online: Online Dating Liability And The Wavering Application Of Cda § 230, Lindsey A. Datte

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The note argues that the online dating industry's voluntary adoption of screening initiatives, while well-intentioned, is legally misguided. Such practices may expose platforms to increased liability and undermine the protections afforded by the Communications Decency Act (CDA) 230, which shields interactive computer services from liability for third-party content. The analysis contends that these efforts to self-regulate, though driven by legislative and societal pressure, may inadvertently erode the industry's immunity under CDA 230 and create new legal vulnerabilities.

One-Off & Off-Hand: Developing An Appropriate Course Of Liability In Threatening Online Mass Communication Events, Michael Barrett Zimmerman

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.