Digital Commons Network^™

Restorative Justice And Responsive Regulation In Higher Education: The Complex Web Of Campus Sexual Assault Policy In The United States And A Restorative Alternative, David R. Karp Phd

School of Leadership and Education Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

Sexual assault policy on college campuses in the United States is a complex system guided by federal policy, state policy, and local mandates. When students violate sexual misconduct policies, campuses primarily rely on suspensions and expulsions, paralleling the criminal justice system’s reliance on incarceration as a solution based on stigmatization and separation. Since the 1990s, restorative justice has made inroads as an alternative response to student misconduct, but application to sexual misconduct is rare. The Campus PRISM Project (Promoting Restorative Initiatives on Sexual Misconduct) is a network of academics and practitioners exploring a restorative approach within a responsive regulatory framework. …

Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Sandra Walklate, Jude Mcculloch And Janemaree Maher (Eds) (2018) Intimate Partner Violence, Risk And Security: Securing Women’S Lives In A Global World. London, Uk: Routledge, Walter Dekeseredy

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Healthcare Practices Related To Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Muriel Mikayla Johnson

Honors Theses

The incidence of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) is abounding in hospitals across the nation due to the recent surge in opioid abuse. This thesis explores the variation in protocols and guidelines used by healthcare practitioners concerning NAS. This study consisted of a literature review as well as observations and interviews with healthcare practitioners in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). The literature review revealed there has been a greater increase in NAS among rural areas, and there is currently no national standardized protocol for the treatment of NAS. Field notes taken during the interviews and observations confirmed the literature in that …

Incorporating African American Vernacular English In Education: Fostering Linguistic Diversity Within Mississippi K-12 Classrooms, Alyssa Eilers

Honors Theses

In the United States, the language of education is American English; although everyone speaks a dialect, the institution of education values a standard, which devalues nonstandard varieties of English like African American Vernacular English (AAVE). Because language is intricately connected to identity, the way that AAVE is or is not included in classroom pedagogy points to the inclusion, or lack thereof, of students who speak vernaculars of English. Research shows that AAVE is related to Southern American English and exists proportionately in the south. Because Mississippi, a southern state, continuously ranks as one of the states with the lowest test …

Iron Deficiency Anemia, Population Health And Frailty In A Modern Portuguese Skeletal Sample, Samantha M. Hens, Kanya Godde, Kristin M. Macak

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION

Portugal underwent significant political, demographic and epidemiological transitions during the 20th century resulting in migration to urban areas with subsequent overcrowding and issues with water sanitation. This study investigates population health during these transitions and interprets results within a framework of recent history and present-day public health information. We investigate skeletal evidence for anemia (cribra orbitalia and porotic hyperostosis) as indicators of stress and frailty-i.e., whether the lesions contribute to susceptibility for disease or increased risk of death.

METHODS

The presence and severity of skeletal lesions were compared against known sex and cause of death data to investigate potential …

Using Labeling Theory As A Guide To Examine The Patterns, Characteristics, And Sanctions Given To Cybercrimes, Brian K. Payne, Brittany Hawkins, Chunsheng Xin

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Over the past decade, reports of cybercrime have soared across the globe. Criminologists agree that the increase in cybercrime stems from technological advancements that have changed all facets of societal interactions. While it is agreed that technology has shaped cybercrime, there is less understanding about the dynamics of cybercrime. In particular, some researchers have explored whether these offenses are simply traditional types of crime that are now carried out through different strategies, while others have argued that cybercrimes are, in fact, new types of crime. This ambiguity potentially limits prevention and intervention strategies. In an effort to build our understanding …

Defining "Evangelicals" In Print Journalism, Logan D. Williamson

Honors Theses

Evangelicalism, a movement grounded in faith and individual morality, appeared to integrate into the GOP in the late-1970s and 1980s. In 2016, national newspapers reported that 81% of white evangelicals voted for Donald Trump, prompting a question of how the movement is defined today. I look at the recent history of the evangelical movement and the troubles that scholars, analysts and other cultural observers have had in offering a conclusive definition for the term. Next, I seek to answer how print journalists define the term and how that influences or is informed by polling results on Election Day. I interview …

Commodity Fetishism And Performative Identity: Studying The Effects Of Neoliberal Reform On The Work Of Non-Governmental Organizations In Cairo, Cynthia N. Bauer

Honors Theses

This paper explores the economic dimension of identity politics, exemplified in the case study of the NGO Safarni in Cairo, Egypt. In doing so, I argue that neoliberal economic reform has led to an expansion of the capitalist mindset to include new subjectivities, one of which is the categorization of identity. By teaching values of "diversity" and "openness," and getting significant international funding to do so, Safarni is participating in a system that is creating a new type of labor and laborer, and where this labor is one in which the self objectifies itself.

The Latino South: Race And Racialization, Brittany M. Brown

Honors Theses

Taking into consideration the South’s historic black-white racial binary, this multi-media research project documents the place-specific experiences of 23 Latinos living in Oxford, Mississippi, using anthropologic methods. A digital archive accompanies the written thesis. Through interdisciplinary methods, this research examines and seeks to understand how the Latino community is conforming to or challenging the staunch view of race and identity in the U.S. South, where race is and has always been at the forefront of culture and society. Through knowing the history of race in the South and understanding the black-white racial binary, the presence of Latinos is creating space …

Stories From Rwandan Churches Prior To The Genocide; A Collection Of Oral Histories, Carmen Ava Lau

All ETDs from UAB

STORIES FROM RWANDAN CHURCHES PRIOR TO THE GENOCIDE: A COLLECTION OF ORAL HISTORIES CARMEN A. LAU ANTHROPOLOGY PEACE & HUMAN RTS ABSTRACT As a tragedy in which religion did not serve as demarcation between rival groups, the Rwandan Genocide provides an example of Christians killing Christians. I use interviews from 14 Rwandan survivors who were Seventh-day Adventists, a Protestant group to which both heroes and villains belonged. Based on Eisler’s Theory of Cultural Transfor-mation, I assume that narratives inform action. I examine oral histories through a frame-work that searches for elements of Girard’s Mimetic Rivalry that might have influenced Adventists …

Examining Teachers' Perceptions And Practices Of Family Engagement With Families Of Emergent Bilinguals In Pre-Kindergarten And Kindergarten Classrooms: A Mixed Methods And Multiple Case Study, Julie I. Paul

All ETDs from UAB

This study addressed pre-K and kindergarten teachers’ perceptions and practices of family engagement with families of students who are Dual Language Learners/Emergent Bilinguals. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design (Quan --> QUAL) (Creswell & Plano-Clark, 2018). To address the purpose of the study, the overarching mixed methods question was: How do pre-K and kindergarten teachers engage families of all their students and families of students who are emergent bilinguals? Mixing of the strands occurred after the quantitative data was collected. Quantitative results helped develop the semi-structured interview protocol for the qualitative phase of the study. Qualitative results …

Insuring Graduation: An Analysis Of The Association Between Student Health Insurance And Graduation, John Robert Lovett

All ETDs from UAB

Most college students have access to basic health services through their campus’ college health program. Unfortunately, students who lack health insurance may be limited in their access to health services beyond the acute care provided, which may manifest in a myriad of adverse outcomes; ultimately resulting in withdrawal from college without graduating. Student health insurance plans (SHIPs) are high-quality, affordable insurance plans specially designed to meet this need. This study utilized survival analysis to examine the temporal nature of college graduation behavior, as it related to student health insurance status. The results of this study show no significant relationship between …

Occupational Therapy Students’ Perceptions Of Individuals With Mental Illness Before And After A Service-Learning Experience, Valley Mccurry

All ETDs from UAB

Service-learning is a pedagogical approach that allows occupational therapy students to engage in experiential learning with individuals who have mental illness. Perceptions of individuals with mental illness are influenced by factors such as societal stigma. Stigma is present among allied health professionals and students, including occupational therapy students, which may influence provision of care. In order to assess occupational therapy students’ level of comfort with the mental health population, this study used a convergent mixed methods approach to evaluate how students’ personal beliefs and self-efficacy changed after a service-learning experience at a homeless shelter. The study explored occupational therapy students’ …

Transition Into Adulthood: Cannabis Use And Mental Health, Katie Mcintyre

All ETDs from UAB

The US is currently experiencing sweeping changes in the legal status of cannabis, the most common illicit drug used in America. Due to its classification as a Schedule I substance we know very little about how cannabis use impacts mental health since illicit drugs are not legally allowed to be researched in a laboratory setting. The current research on cannabis use (CU) and mental health (MH) is expansive and conflicting. One side of the debate suggests CU in adolescence has a direct effect on MH, the other side suggests CU could be an indirect coping mechanism of poor MH. One …

The Weight Of Social Relationships: Social Network Analysis In An Adult Weight Loss Program, Alena Borgatti

All ETDs from UAB

Adult behavioral obesity interventions often show improved attendance and weight loss when delivered in a group, as opposed to individual, therapy format. However, research on the exact mechanisms through which group therapy confers additional weight loss is lacking. Pediatric obesity interventions have recently begun to utilize social network analysis (SNA) to identify structural ties that may improve adherence and weight loss; however, this research is limited and has yet to be replicated in an adult weight loss program. The current study is the first to evaluate social networks in an adult behavioral weight loss intervention. Four weight loss groups were …

Peruvian Medical Students' Attitudes Toward People With Disabilities, Shane Daniel Burns

All ETDs from UAB

Patients with disabilities often interpret health care providers’ skills and facilities inadequate, are denied health care services, and report poor treatment in the medical setting. Key stakeholders in reforming this process are medical students, a demographic that currently provides services for patients with disabilities and will shape tomorrow’s health care systems. Past research has demonstrated that medical students often hold negative attitudes toward people with disabilities with much of this research being conducted in the developed world and none in Latin America. As a result, this study pursued to understand Peruvian medical students’ attitudes toward people with disabilities and how …

Self-Tracking Practices: The Roles Of Social Contexts And Chronic Conditions, Aowen Zhu

All ETDs from UAB

The rapid development of mobile health (mHealth) technologies is propelled by the culture of disease prevention and management. Smartphone applications and wearable devices provide valuable personal data for self enhancement. In addition to health promotion, people with chronic conditions are using apps and devices to monitor symptoms and behaviors. There is great potential for self-tracking practices to reduce health care cost and improve population health. However, the emphasis on personal responsibility of individuals’ health may hinder the long-term effectiveness of self-tracking practices. The purpose of the study is to examine the associations between social contexts and self-tracking practices, chronic health …

Racial And Gender Differences In The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experience And Chronic Health Conditions In Adulthood, Jalal Uddin

All ETDs from UAB

A growing body of studies highlights that many adult diseases and health disparities in late-life are rooted in childhood adversities. However, there is little research that examines how social stratification processes structure the inequality in early-life stress exposure, and the effects of stress exposure on health outcomes may vary based on the intersections of social stratification categories. Drawing on an integrated framework of the life course stress process and intersectionality theory, this study examines the patterns in childhood adverse experiences (ACEs) by race/ethnicity and gender and how race/ethnicity, gender, and adult socioeconomic status (SES) combine to modify the effects of …

Teachers’ Experiences Of Change From Traditional Teaching Methods To Active Participatory Learning Approaches Within The Alabama P-3 Pilot Program: A Case Study, Shushan Vardanyan

All ETDs from UAB

This case study explored teachers’ experiences with the implementation of the Alabama P-3 initiative to move away from traditional teaching methods to active participatory learning (APL) approaches. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine teachers from four schools who taught kindergarten (K), first, or second grade. The data were analyzed through comparison of K and primary (P) teachers’ experiences of the implementation of the initiative using Lewin’s (1951) change theory as an a priori theory. The data were organized into two a priori themes: the process of change and forces influencing the change. The process of change theme was presented in …

Creativity As An Emergent Property Of Complex Educational System, Ceire Monahan, Mika Munakata, Ashwin Vaidya

Department of Mathematics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The importance of creativity in education has been discussed often in the literature. While there remains no agreed-upon definition of creativity, the psychological literature points to traits of a creative person. These include the ability to think outside the box, make connections between seemingly disparate ideas, and question norms. The literature provides several examples of classroom experiments to help foster creativity in the classroom. In science and mathematics, we can start by getting students to recognize mathematics and the sciences as being creative endeavors. While these attempts are noteworthy, they are not necessarily aligned with instructional practices. In this article, …

Religion, Psychological Distress, And Discrimination Among Arab Americans, Najwa Alharbi

All ETDs from UAB

A growing body of research has focused on the experiences of Arab Americans post-9/11. These studies have been conducted to investigate the relationship between ethnic discrimination and mental health among Arab Americans. However, these studies show some gaps. Specifically, no study has explored the differences between Muslim and Christian Arabs after the 9/11 attacks in terms of religion, including how religious attendance influences the levels of psychological distress and discrimination among the two religious groups. This paper is dedicated to exploring religion (religious affiliation and religious attendance) as a key factor to understand the different levels of psychological distress and …

The Design Patent Bar: An Occupational Licensing Failure, Christopher Buccafusco, Jeanne C. Curtis

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

Although any attorney can represent clients with complex property, tax, or administrative issues, only a certain class of attorneys can assist with obtaining and challenging patents before the United States Patent & Trademark Office (PTO). Only those who are members of the PTO's patent bar can prosecute patents, and eligibility for the patent bar is only available to people with substantial scientific or engineering credentials. However much sense the eligibility rules make for utility patents-those based on novel scientific or technical inventions-they are completely irrational when applied to design patents-those based on ornamental or aesthetic industrial design. Nevertheless, the PTO …

Faith-Based Support For Alzheimer's Family Caregivers In Madison County, Alabama, Meredith Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alzheimer's disease, the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, is incurable. Because of the extensive long-term care required for patients with Alzheimer's, the typical caregiver is often a middle-aged family member with his or her own health problems. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to determine the extent to which there was a difference in the perception of quality of life between Alzheimer's family caregivers who receive tangible faith-based support compared to the Alzheimer's family caregivers who receive no social support. The theoretical basis was social support theory, which suggests that support buffers stress. The …

Recidivism Differences And Measures Of Predictability For Federally Convicted Child Pornographers, Ricardo J. Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a gap in research on the effectiveness of mandatory-€minimum sentences on the recidivism rates of federal child pornography offenders, resulting in policy that may be ineffective and costly. Relevant research can further understanding of criminogenic behavior that results in the exploitation of children and aid future policy making decisions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between federal sentencing and federal child pornographer recidivism. Central to this study is the research question of whether there exists a statistically significant difference between the likelihood of recidivism in 2 child pornographer cohorts that receive different …

The Moderating Influence Of Social Media On The Relationship Between Perceptions Of Police And Community Violence Among African American Men, Herman Charles Tucker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American males experience homicides significantly higher than other groups throughout the United States. More African Americans are victims of violence, especially deadly violence, compared to any other racial or ethnic group. While research has been conducted on the association between perceptions of police and violence among African American men ages 18 to 44, no research exists on whether social media use moderates this association among African American men ages 18 to 44. This quantitative, cross-sectional study included 45 African American men. The Past Feelings and Act of Violence (PFAV) instrument, the Perceptions of Police (POP), and the Social Media …

Strategies For Improving Data Protection To Reduce Data Loss From Cyberattacks, Jennifer Elizabeth Cannon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Accidental and targeted data breaches threaten sustainable business practices and personal privacy, exposing all types of businesses to increased data loss and financial impacts. This single case study was conducted in a medium-sized enterprise located in Brevard County, Florida, to explore the successful data protection strategies employed by the information system and information technology business leaders. Actor-network theory was the conceptual framework for the study with a graphical syntax to model data protection strategies. Data were collected from semistructured interviews of 3 business leaders, archival documents, and field notes. Data were analyzed using thematic, analytic, and software analysis, and methodological …

Practicing Self-Efficacy And Transparency To Achieve Long-Term Recovery And Reduce Recidivism, Lisa Kent

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is limited data about the positive application of self-efficacy and the practice of transparency for individuals in recovery to achieve long-term recovery from substance addiction and criminal recidivism. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to gain more insight and knowledge about how the application of self-efficacy and the practice of transparency help individuals in recovery achieve long-term recovery from substance addiction and criminal recidivism for two or more years. The conceptual framework used to guide this study was Albert Bandura's self-efficacy theory. This study is significant because it explains that long-term recovery is not an easy task …

Social Work Crisis Interventions With Traumatic Death Survivors In Medical Settings, Sabrina R. Spencer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traumatic death survivors are an at-risk population that could benefit from social work interventions. This action research study explored social work perspectives on crisis practice with traumatic death survivors in acute medical settings. The research questions focused on whether early crisis interventions by social workers would benefit traumatic death survivors, which interventions were recommended in crisis practice with this population, the potential effects of repeated trauma exposure on the social workers providing the crisis interventions, and recommendations to manage this professional exposure to trauma. The purpose of the study was to explore social work perspectives on potential benefits of crisis …

Social Media Effects On Millennials' Counterterrorism Type Of Behaviors, Laura C. Domasneanu-Miulescu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social media is a critical and omnipresent component in Millennials' lives. Using social media can lead to significant social change for societies both online and offline. Social media can be used as a tool to combat domestic and foreign terrorism and to protect our society. Prosocial perceptions and behaviors exhibited on a social media platform can transcend online social culture and produce replicas of those behaviors in the real world. Research in social activism portrayed by Millennials via social media is limited, and research regarding social media use and counterterrorism behaviors of Millennials has not yet been attempted. The current …

Barriers That Prevent Adult Latino Students From Attaining A College Degree, Laly J. Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. Latino community is underrepresented among those with college degrees, and high college dropout rates among Latinos have contributed to that underrepresentation. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore why Latinos are at increased risk for dropping out of college compared to their White counterparts. Tinto's theory of student integration and the geometric model of student persistence and achievement were used to guide the study. Data were collected from 12 Latino students at risk for dropping out at a college in the northeastern United States who were enrolled in a degree program but were considering dropping …