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The Makings Of Creativity And Empathy: Maps Of Maternal Representations, Anielle M. Fredman

Dissertations and Theses

ABSTRACT

The Makings of Creativity and Empathy: Maps of Maternal Representations

by

Anielle M. Fredman

Advisor: Sasha Rudenstine, Ph.D.

The present study investigates the relationship between maternal fantasy of the child and their relationship, and children’s unconscious processes. In addition, the study aims to ascertain the link between maternal representations and aspects of the child’s intrapsychic world, including ego functioning, object relations, and processes of separation-individuation.

Maternal fantasy was measured in an original way with a tripartite typology of Positive, Mixed-Complex, and Contradictory Representations, applied to the Parent Development Interview-Revised Short (Slade et al., 2004), adapted from the Working Model …

Immigrant Therapists’ Perceptions Of Transference, Countertransference, And Racial Experiences In The United States, Lian Malki-Schubert

Dissertations and Theses

There has been a steady increase in the percentage of immigrant therapists in the US. In psychology doctoral programs, the number of foreign-born students has doubled between 1997 and 2016. The present study aimed to examine the perceived impact of therapists’ immigrant identity when working with US-born and foreign-born clients, as little research has been dedicated to this topic. Another central theme this study sought to explore was immigrant therapists’ perspective shifts on racial identity upon arriving in the US. Given that race is a social construct that is culturally bound, the study investigated immigrant therapists’ perceptions of racial identity …

Compassion-Based Resilience Training (Cbrt) For Frontline Healthcare Workers In Contact With Covid-19 Patients, Michael Perez Sosa

Dissertations and Theses

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has had deleterious consequences for the mental health of frontline healthcare workers worldwide. One systemic review of the literature found high prevalence rates of anxiety (67.55%), depression (58.89%), and stress (62.99%) reported by this population (Vizheh et al., 2020). Additionally, high rates of burnout and symptoms associated with trauma have also been ubiquitous during the pandemic for frontline healthcare workers. The purpose of this study is to investigate Compassion-Based Resilience Training (CBRT) as a remotely delivered intervention for frontline healthcare workers in contact with COVID-19 patients to reduce symptoms associated with stress, depression, anxiety, burnout, and …

The Moderating Roles Of Racial Discrimination And Covid-19 Stress On The Association Between College Students’ Cannabis Use And Psychosocial Functioning, Shannique Richards

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract

The Moderating Roles of Racial Discrimination and COVID-19 Stress on the Association between College Students’ Cannabis Use and Psychosocial Functioning

By

Shannique Richards, MA

Advisor: Sarah O’Neill, PhD

Greater use of cannabis is linked to poorer psychosocial outcomes. Rates of cannabis use are particularly high in racial/ethnic minoritized (REM) and socioeconomically disadvantaged college students. Cannabis use has been correlated with exposure to trauma. REM and socioeconomically disadvantaged college students report higher rates of trauma exposure, including discrimination and health and social disparities than their White peers. This study examined exposure to two types of potentially traumatic events (racial discrimination …

An Exploration Of The Relation Between Psychological Functioning And Reactions To Global Climate Change For Late Adolescents In New York City, Emma Routhier

Dissertations and Theses

Climate change poses a potentially unique generational crisis, as it threatens the viability of the very world that the current adolescent generation stands to inherit. While some studies have begun to appreciate the specific experience of adolescents as it pertains to climate change, they attend to young people’s behavior or self-reported feelings. The present study aims to employ psychoanalytic constructs, with attention to the unconscious determinants of psychic life and behavior, in an empirical examination of this topic, and to introduce a level of sensitivity to the vicissitudes of the adolescent period that have not previously been addressed in the …

Early Adversity, Emotion Regulation, Object Relational Functioning, And The Moderating Effect Of Gender Identity: A Community Sample Study, Victoria Schilder

Dissertations and Theses

Introduction: Clinical and social psychological literature have long demonstrated group status, culture, and social support as equally integral and influential factors which contribute directly both to the quality of one’s lived experience, and to the development and experience of one’s sense of identity or selfness. For example, acceptable norms regarding behavior, dress, and emotional experience – particularly when an individual does not live up to societal standards – have been demonstrated to contribute to deleterious internalizations surrounding self-confidence, self-worth, and self-esteem. More specifically, the social and cultural implications of being identified as “female” versus “male” have been found to be …

Immigrant Risk, Self-Discontinuity, And The Role Of Nostalgia, Leila Talhouk

Dissertations and Theses

Background: There are conflicting theories and data about immigrants’ health in the host country (e.g., immigrant risk vs. paradox), which have encouraged researchers to examine more nuanced factors related to immigration to clarify these inconsistencies. This two-part study aimed to shed light on these discrepancies by investigating psychoanalytic concepts that have not yet been empirically tested. The study focuses on immigrant self-discontinuity, a migration- induced disruption in one’s sense of self-sameness and unconscious sense of going-on-being, manifesting in moments of disorientation, disorganization, or dissociative-like experiences. There is no adequate instrument to measure this construct; as such, Part 1 of the …

Auditory Processing Deficits In Msh2-Ko Mice Are Linked To Aberrant Inhibitory Neuron Function In The Thalamic Reticular Nucleus, Sadia N. Rahman

Dissertations and Theses

DNA repair mechanisms are crucial for both cellular development and function. One highly conserved DNA repair factor is Mut-S Homolog 2 (Msh2), which corrects base-base mismatches and insertion/deletion loops. In humans, defects in this repair pathway are linked to diseases that have severe neurological pathologies. These include Lynch syndrome, Huntington’s disease and demyelination of the corpus callosum. The fundamental role of Msh2 in brain function is unknown. Using an Msh2^-/- mouse model we began an exploration of its impact on the processing of sensory information, a crucial function to an animal’s survival. The goal of this …

Non-Governmental Organizations And The Implementation Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women In Uzbekistan, Sayyora Khaydarova

Dissertations and Theses

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is a landmark international treaty aimed at promoting and protecting women's rights globally. Its implementation is monitored by a Committee of experts which, in so doing, relies extensively on the active engagement of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The purpose of this thesis is to highlight the role of NGOs in contributing to the implementation of norms of CEDAW in Uzbekistan. Thanks to their symbiotic relationship with governmental authorities and the Committee and as shadow reporters, information providers and advocates NGOs have significantly contributed to the country's noticeable but …

Unity Against Adversity: Examining The Moderating Effect Of A Sense Of Community Between Discrimination And Discrimination-Related Distress Among Racial And Ethnic Minoritized Adults, Kimberly Velazquez

Dissertations and Theses

Background: Racial and ethnic minoritized populations are significantly more likely to develop mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, than White populations. Some of the predominant causes are rooted in the impact of discrimination, and other social determinants of health (SDOH), including adverse experiences. Studies found that discrimination can lead to a distinct form of anxiety described as discrimination-related distress, which has a higher negative association with poor mental health symptoms. It has been suggested that having a strong sense of community (SOC) –a collective sentiment shared by community members regarding their membership, feelings of belonging, …

Interventions That Move: Characterizing The Language Of Therapist Responses To High Patient Arousal, Karen Tocatly

Dissertations and Theses

The Referential Process (RP) is defined as a set of functions (Arousal, Symbolizing, and Reflecting/Reorganizing) that describe the rendering of subsymbolic experience into verbal, symbolized form (Bucci, 2021). Movement through the RP — beginning with the subsymbolically-dominated Arousal function — has been tied to multiple theoretical and clinical understandings of therapeutic progress and personality change (Bucci, 2013; Mariani et al., 2013). The present exploratory study seeks to identify whether certain therapist language features are linked to the facilitation of patients’ movement from Arousal to Symbolizing. Using treatment transcripts from the RP Group Data Base, cases of high patient Arousal were …

Scaling And Scalar Analysis As A Framework For Research On Teacher Learning, Lara J. Handsfield

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This paper argues for scalar analysis as a framework for understanding negotiations of competing ideological demands and power relationships in teacher learning. Two illustrative examples are presented, including video data of a student teacher (Camille) attempting to integrate multimodal and digital literacy practices into their instruction, and a research interview between Lara and Camille. Drawing on research in both literacy studies and applied linguistics, the illustrative scalar analyses move beyond linguistic understandings of discourse to also include embodied discourse and materiality as central to understanding complexities of teaching and teacher learning. Implications are presented for research and practice.

The Effect Of Social Stratification On College Students' Academic Performance & Progress, Detrenyona Nekebra Chester

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative correlational research study is to understand the variables of social stratification, academic performance, and academic progress and how those variables affect a student’s decision to drop out of college. The researcher selected participants for this study from the database at a 4-year private HBCU located in the northern part of Jacksonville Florida. Many students enrolled in college encounter outstanding tuition balances that threaten their ability to obtain adequate housing and remain actively enrolled in college. The researcher explored social stratification as measured by high school Title I status, academic performance as measured by overall institutional …

Banshees Of Late Capitalism: War, Ecology, & Alienation, Bryant W. Sculos

Political Science Faculty Publications

This review essay explores the concepts of war, ecology/human-nonhuman relations, and alienation through a critical analysis of McDonagh's The Banshees of Inisherin (2022).

Relationship Between Reproductive And Bone Biomarkers And Osteoarthritis In Zoo Asian (Elephas Maximus) And African (Loxodonta Africana) Elephants, Daniella E Chusyd, Janine L Brown, Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo, Stephanie L Dickinson, Virginia B Kraus, Jessica Siegal-Willott, Timothy M Griffin, Janet L Huebner, Katie L Edwards, David B Allison, Steven N Austad

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Osteoarthritis (OA) is common in zoo Asian (Elephas maximus) and African (Loxodonta africana) elephants. This study investigated the relationship between confirmed or suspected OA with ovarian cyclicity, gonadotropins, progestagens, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), and collagen type I (CTX-I) in zoo elephants. In Asian elephants, odds of having confirmed or suspected OA decreased with cycling (OR = 0.22, P = 0.016; OR = 0.29, P = 0.020, respectively), however, not when adjusted for age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.31, P = 0.112; OR = 0.58, P = 0.369, respectively). In African elephants, none of …

Variation In Space Use And Movements Of Individual Mule Deer And Bighorn Sheep In Response To Shed Antler Hunting, Steven B. Bates, Jericho C. Whiting, Brock R Mcmillan, Steven L. Petersen, Randy T. Larsen

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Shed antler hunting can affect the movements and space use of ungulates. We evaluated space use and movements of 12 mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and 25 bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) during shed antler hunting for up to 4 years. Twenty-five percent of mule deer and 44% of bighorn sheep changed space use in relation to their home range in response to shed antler hunters across 2 years. Four deer were tracked for 3 or 4 consecutive years and responded differently to shed antler hunting across years. Mean distance moved by mule deer in response to shed …

The Pursuit Of Authenticity In Identity Management, Jade Kim

Doctoral

Living authentically is widely regarded as a fundamental aspect of the human experience. It is often associated with moral superiority, personal engagement, and well-being. However, the pursuit of authenticity and living as one’s true self within organisational contexts can present a challenge as organisations need to exert control on their employees to achieve their productivity and efficiency goals. As a result, authenticity tends to be misrepresented as conformity, which can be detrimental for individuals who hold devalued identities or who do not fit organisational prescribed selves. Thus, this doctoral research aims to reconceptualise authenticity by incorporating identity management into its …

Causal Interventional Training For Image Recognition, Wei Qin, Hanwang Zhang, Richang Hong, Ee-Peng Lim, Qianru Sun

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Deep learning models often fit undesired dataset bias in training. In this paper, we formulate the bias using causal inference, which helps us uncover the ever-elusive causalities among the key factors in training, and thus pursue the desired causal effect without the bias. We start from revisiting the process of building a visual recognition system, and then propose a structural causal model (SCM) for the key variables involved in dataset collection and recognition model: object, common sense, bias, context, and label prediction. Based on the SCM, one can observe that there are “good” and “bad” biases. Intuitively, in the image …

Executive Functions Predict The Trajectories Of Rumination In Middle-Aged And Older Adults: A Latent Growth Curve Analysis, Gilaine Rui Ng, Wee Qin Ng, Hwajin Yang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Previous studies suggest that executive functions (EF)—a set of domain-general cognitive control processes that contribute to the regulation of emotion—are generally associated with ruminative tendencies. However, there is a dearth of research that examines how EF influences changes in rumination over time, especially in middle-aged and older adults who typically experience a decline in EF. To fill this gap in the literature, we analyzed a large-scale combined dataset from the MIDUS Refresher, Daily Diary, and Cognitive Projects. We examined the impact of EF on the trajectory of rumination across 8 days using latent growth curve analysis. We also examined age …

Through The Looking Glass: An Autoethnography, Jennifer Pryor Halter

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an autoethnography studying my experiences as a female high school principal in the south. Autoethnography is qualitative research that analyzes personal experiences to understand a particular culture (Ellis et al., 2011). I share my lived experiences in fictionalized composite examples to protect myself and others possibly implicated in the research (Law & Fine, 2004). Through analysis, I use feminist theories and metaphors to understand the school and community and the presence of southern culture in this school’s context. Through research, I found glass metaphors describing women in leadership roles and their obstacles (Simpson & Kurma, 2015). I …

That’S Why We Drink: Effects Of Undergraduate Stress During The Covid-19 Pandemic On Alcohol Behaviors, Skylar St Clair

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature has shown that undergraduates’ alcohol use is often affected by their perceived stress, especially when there is a significant disruption to their typical college lifestyle. The primary goal of the study was to demonstrate that there is a relationship between perceived undergraduate stress and alcohol behaviors mediated by anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary goal was to determine if there were any significant moderating variables on the aforementioned mediation, specifically characteristics of personality. A self-report Qualtrics survey was conducted to assess perceived stress, anxiety, alcohol use, and personality domains along the Big Five Inventory for 244 students. …

The Indirect Association Of Personality With Perceived Stress As Mediated By Humor In University Students During Covid-19, Jacqueline Sterghos

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Humor is known to be an effective coping strategy due to its stress-reducing capabilities (Overholser, 1992; Peterson & Seligman, 2004). However, more recent research into humor has revealed it can also lead to increased levels of stress (Fritz et al., 2017; Martin et al., 2003). Extraverts tend to have positive emotions and are better able to cope with stressful emotions (Ford et al., 2016). However, individuals higher in neuroticism are more likely to engage in maladaptive types of coping strategies and humor (Greengross et al., 2011), putting them at a higher risk for increased stress levels. The current research utilized …

Investigating The Mediation Effects Of Student-Teacher Relationships Between Extracurricular Activities And Students' Academic Achievement In High School, Rachael C. Schofield

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While there is evidence to support the notion that extracurricular activities have a positive impact on student success and development, the reasons why students participate in these activities, why they continue to participate in these activities, and why these activities lead to better educational outcomes are unclear. This study was conducted at three high schools in a county in northeast Florida with a total n of 131 students. This study used three theories as lenses to examine how student-teacher relationships impacted student engagement in extracurricular activities and in turn student achievement: Self-Systems Processing (Connell & Wellborn, 1991), Attachment Theory (Bowlby, …

Relation Between Parent Feeding And Emotional Overeating In Preschoolers As Mediated By Emotion Regulation, Lindsay Nicole Baker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Emotional overeating is defined as eating in response to negative emotions, and the shift from emotional undereating to overeating around the preschool years indicates environmental influences. Parent feeding practices such as using food to regulate emotions and behavior may impede children’s ability to regulate their emotions, leading to emotional overeating. This study analyzed the relation between parent feeding practices, child emotion regulation, and emotional overeating in 4- and 5-year-old children. For study 1, mothers of 4- and 5-year-old children completed online questionnaires through MTurk and Prolific. Questionnaires measured parent feeding practices, emotion regulation, and emotional overeating. Parent use of food …

Association Between Objectively-Measured Sedentary Time And Self-Reported Prescription Medication Use Among Adults: A Pilot Study, Ciarra Ashley Boyne

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Prescription medication use and extended sedentary time are independently related to poor health outcomes (e.g., diabetes, metabolic syndrome, mortality). Historically, survey methods have been used to obtain estimates of total sedentary time (ST), however, recent use of accelerometers avoids self-report bias and affords more characteristics of ST that may be factors in health outcomes (e.g., frequency and duration of sedentary bouts). The aims of this pilot study were to 1) examine the association between objectively measured ST via accelerometers and self-reported prescription medication use in adults and 2) examine the independent association of sedentary bout length and frequency with …

Eye Of The Tiger: Does Cultural Mismatch Affect The Evaluation Of Graduate Program Brochures?, Roshonda Bissainthe

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although first-generation college students (FGCS) are enrolling in graduate school at the same rate as continuing-generation students (CGCS), they are earning their degrees significantly slower or not at all. We add to the growing literature by examining whether the independent culture encouraged at many American universities clashes with the interdependent culture of FGCS. We hypothesized that when participants are randomly assigned to read an independently focused brochure, FGCS compared with CGCS will report a lower tendency to seek college resources, self-efficacy, and persistence. FGCS and CGCS read an independent or interdependent focused ecopsychology graduate program brochure and indicated their self-efficacy …

Nutrition Care For The Transgender Population: A Retrospective Study To Investigate Relationships Between The Nutrition Care Process Model And Patient Outcomes, Alana Minnee Marrero Gonzalez

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One of the most important roles of the registered dietitian nutritionist is to provide medical nutrition therapy that is fitting to an individual’s culture, reality, ethnicity, and dietary preferences. A review of existing literature exposes the lack of information available on LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) health, for transgender communities. The purpose of this research was to generate knowledge of the nutrition-related problems and barriers to adequate nutrition and health, and their impact in nutrition assessment in a sample of Hispanic transgender adult patients living in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A retrospective observational study was conducted, data from 114 …

Examining Predictors Of Academic Success Among Stem And Non-Stem College Students, Sydney C. Barrett

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nationally, approximately 40% of students drop out of college, with one third of all college freshman dropping out before they enter their second year (Hanson, 2021). Previous research (van der Zanden et al., 2018) has examined predictors of student success that range from institutional variables (e.g., policies, academic supports) to student characteristics (e.g., academic preparation, emotional well-being, motivation, self-evaluation). The primary goal of the present research was to add more insight into the variables that might affect academic success by examining differences in college students’ implicit theories of intelligence, achievement goals, academic self-concept, and academic success at two different levels …

Predicting Florida's Extreme Wind Events: A Deep Learning Approach, Irene Josephat Byemerwa

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Extreme wind events, such as hurricanes and tropical storms, have devastating impacts on infrastructure, economy, and public safety in Florida. Traditional predictive methods, linear regression, logistic regression, and autoregressive integrated moving-average (ARIMA) models have limitations in accounting for non-stationarity and nonlinearity in meteorological data, leading to less accurate predictions. The primary objective of this study is to leverage the capabilities of deep learning algorithms, specifically, Feedforward Neural Networks (FFNNs), to develop a predictive model that outperforms traditional predictive methods in forecasting extreme wind events in Florida. The deep learning model was trained, validated, and tested using historical wind speed data …

Rethinking ‘Responsibility’ In Precision Agriculture Innovation: Lessons From An Interdisciplinary Research Team, Edward Prutzer, Maaz Gardezi, Donna M. Rizzo, Mary Emery, Scott Merrill, Benjamin E.K. Ryan, Panagiotis D. Oikonomou, Juan P. Alvez, Damilola T. Adereti, Rubaina Anjum, Appala R. Badireddy, Dwarika Bhattarai, Skye Brugler, Nicholas Cheney, David Clay, Sharon Clay, Ali Dadkhah, Joshua W. Faulkner, Deepak R. Joshi, Christopher Koliba, John Mcmaine, Semhar Michael, Sardorbek Musayev, Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne, George Pinder, Taylor Ricketts, Andrew W. Schroth, Scott Turnbull, Asim Zia

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

We examine the interactions, decisions, and evaluations of an interdisciplinary team of researchers tasked with developing an artificial intelligence-based agricultural decision support system that can provide farmers site-specific information about managing nutrients on their land. We answer the following research questions: (1) How does a relational perspective help an interdisciplinary team conceptualize ‘responsibility’ in a project that develops precision agriculture (PA)? and (2) What are some lessons for a research team embarking on a similar interdisciplinary technology development project? We show that how RI is materialized in practice within an interdisciplinary research team can produce different understandings of responsibility, notions …