Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms Commons^™

Hispanic Construction Workers And Assertiveness Training, Pramen Shrestha, Nancy Menzel

Nursing Faculty Research

BACKGROUND: Hispanic (Latino) construction workers experience disparities in occupational death and injury rates in the United States. The cultural value of respect for those in authority may hinder these workers from requesting safe working conditions from supervisors.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether Hispanic construction workers in Las Vegas, Nevada found assertiveness training more useful than non-Hispanic trainees and whether or not they practiced this behavior at work after the training.

METHODS: An assertiveness training simulation was part of fall prevention classes offered to area construction workers. Eight weeks after the training, participants were interviewed by telephone about class topics they found …

Early Life Stress, Drug Abuse, Exercise Effects On Bdnf And Sex-Influenced Excercise Differences, Karissa Dold

Honors College Theses

In 2011, the U.S. reported 3 million child maltreatment cases, an uncomfortably high but recurring figure each year. Research shows exposure to early life stress (ELS) increases an individual’s susceptibility to substance abuse, specifically of nicotine, alcohol, and cocaine. Increased susceptibility may result from dysregulation of the HPA axis sustaining activation into adulthood after ELS. Hyperactivation of the HPA axis significantly reduces hippocampal BDNF, a neurotrophin involved in neuronal growth and plasticity. Reduced hippocampal BDNF may be a factor in substance abuse vulnerability. Additionally, research shows exercise protects hippocampal BDNF from stress induced down-regulation. To explore these relationships, this study …

Ethnic And Gender Differences In Psychosocial Factors In Native Hawaiian, Other Pacific Islanders, And Asian American Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Jillian Inouye, Dongmei Li, James Davis, Richard Arakaki

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This study examined the differences between 207 Asians and Native Hawaiian, other Pacific Islanders (NHOPI) with type 2 diabetes among various psychosocial measures. Responses to five multivariable regression models including the Diabetes Quality of Life Questionnaire (DQOL) and Short Form -36® Health Survey (SF-36) were analyzed. Differences were determined by linear contrasts in the multivariate linear regression models after adjusted for multiple demographic and socioeconomic variables. Compared to Asians, NHOPIs perceived a lower impact of diabetes on their quality of life; highlighting differences in perceptions of self-efficacy and self-care activities. Females did better on their diet while males perceived better …

Development Of A Scale To Assess Avoidance Behavior Due To A Fear Of Falling: The Fear Of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (Ffabq), Cortney Durand, D. Shalom Powell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: A history of falls or imbalance may lead to a fear of falling which may lead to self-imposed avoidance of activity; this avoidance may stimulate a vicious cycle of deconditioning and subsequent falls.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a questionnaire that would quantify avoidance behavior due to a fear of falling.

Design: This study consisted of two parts, questionnaire development and psychometric testing. Questionnaire development included an expert panel and 39 assisted living residents. Psychometric testing included 63 community dwelling subjects with various health conditions.

Methods: Questionnaire development included the evaluation …

Thrust Joint Manipulation Education: Student Perceptions Of Learning And Practical Experiences In Spinal Manipulation Within Entry-Level Physical Therapist Education Programs, Joshua Thomas Marks, Lisa Basl

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Spinal thrust joint manipulation (TJM) education is mandatory in all professional entry-level physical therapy programs, yet TJM is under-utilized in daily practice. This descriptive study expands on previous data about how TJM is taught and includes data for the perceived confidence students have when performing TJM.

Methods: A 39-question descriptive survey inquiring about TJM education and selfperceived confidence in performing TJM was distributed via email to 213 accredited physical therapy programs.

Subjects: Respondents ranged in age from 22-45 (mean age=25.61 years). Respondents included 435 professional physical therapy students (84 male, 285 female) who have completed their …

School Refusal Behavior: The Relationship Between Functions And Symptom Sets, Marisa Charlene Hendron

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The current study examined the relationship between functions of school refusal behavior and internalizing and externalizing symptom sets in a community sample of 200 youth and parents recruited from two truancy settings. The first hypothesis was that youth who endorsed refusing school primarily to avoid stimuli that provoke negative affectivity (function 1) would report more symptoms of generalized anxiety and depression. The second hypothesis was that youth who endorsed refusing school primarily to escape from aversive social or evaluative situations (function 2) would report more symptoms of social anxiety. The third hypothesis was that youth who endorsed refusing school primarily …