Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Medical Device Usability And Accessibility Information On Purchasing Decisions Of People Without Disabilities, Maysam M. Ardehali

Theses and Dissertations

The disparity between people with and without disabilities in timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment is exacerbated by inaccessible medical devices. The industry appears reluctant to address the shortcomings or provide usability and accessibility information to enhance the purchasing decisions of people with disabilities. This reluctance is mainly caused by the lack of market motivation based on perceptions of market size and the profitability of investments in accessibility evaluation and improvement. This study aims to challenge this notion by demonstrating that usability and accessibility information do not solely benefit what may be considered a “niche market,” and the purchasing decisions of …

Squaring The Circle: Talking About Accessibility At Discovery World, Ariel Butler

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, museums have made a concerted effort to consider accessibility and the needs of the broader community in their programming. This thesis analyzes how Discovery World, a science and technology museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, can better accommodate diverse learning styles and disabilities in their 2023 Summer Camp program through a case study of implementation. The thesis analyzes the impact of the plan to improve accessibility and inclusivity in the classroom for children in grades 1-8, focusing on how staff conceptualize the ideal setup and aims to provide valuable insights to enhance inclusivity and accessibility in informal educational settings. …

Student Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Collegiate Recovery Programs And Collegiate Recovery Communities, Michael Anthony Herold

Theses and Dissertations

Research on the objective effectiveness of Collegiate Recovery Programs and Collegiate Recovery Communities (CRPs / CRCs) has shown success in maintaining recovery and improving academic outcomes for college students in recovery, but research on the experiences of this population is starting to emerge. This study used a mixed-method design to investigate the perceptions of members of CRPs / CRCs regarding the impact of participation on their recovery from substance abuse and their overall quality of life. Thirty-one participants completed the Drug Avoidance Self-Efficacy Scale (DASES) and the Quality of Life Index – Generic Version iii (QLI). Paired samples t-tests were …

Postsecondary Students With Disabilities: Predictors Of Academic Performance/Gpa, Uzoamaka Barbara Okori

Theses and Dissertations

The determination of people with disabilities to enroll in postsecondary education did not remove the struggles and challenges of adjusting to the college environment despite the provisions of the legislation. Students with disabilities still had problems with degree completion, graduation rates, barriers caused primarily by their unwillingness to disclose their disabilities, and the support networks of these students. This study explores the relationship between the acceptance of disability, self-efficacy, support, and the academic performance/grade point average of postsecondary students with disabilities who receive disability accommodations through their institution’s disability service offices.

Although there has been an increase …

Investigating The Longitudinal Relationship Between Social Motivation And Depression In Autistic Adults, Robyn H. Himelstein

Theses and Dissertations

Autism affects individuals across the lifespan, yet there tends to be limited research and services for autistic adults. This is especially concerning given that autistic adults have high mental health needs, with depression being one of the most common and clinically significant co-occurring conditions. We explored the longitudinal relationships between social motivation, social access (i.e., having opportunities for meaningful social interactions), loneliness, and depression in N=303 autistic adults ages 18-65. Participants completed online surveys about social behavior and wellbeing three times over 3–4 months. We hypothesized that an interaction between higher social motivation and lower social access at Time 1 …

Finding The Why: Trauma's Origins And Effects In Morrison's The Bluest Eye, Hope Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the effects of Toni Morrison’s first novel, The Bluest Eye, on its readers and the public discourse surrounding the central issue of systemic racism and incest. The central focus of the analysis is trauma in the novel: how Morrison captures that trauma in writing, how the reader encounters and interprets that trauma, and the effects of that trauma on the narrative and the reader. To construct this argument, I apply the lenses of reader response criticism, psychoanalysis, and trauma studies to the novel.

Morrison expressed concern that readers would miss the crucial message of why the …

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: Fair Evaluation And The Role Of Decision Makers, Mona Hawkins

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine fair evaluations and the role of the decision-makers in the reasonable accommodation process. In many instances, fair evaluations in the reasonable accommodation process which disabled employees experienced, were challenging and looked upon as perceived discrimination in decision-making process. A review of the literature identified further clarification and insight into educating decision-makers about the disability laws, and then altering their behavior in granting reasonable accommodations. The literature progressed with discussions surrounding why every qualified disabled employee should be accommodated as long as the reasonable accommodation is not an undue hardship to the …

Family-Based Support As Social Determinants Of Health Protective Factor On Depression Of Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Bisola E. Duyile

Theses and Dissertations

All parents experience challenges in their caregiving roles (Barańczuk & Pisula, 2020). However, parents raising a child/children with disabilities experience different social barriers (Oliver, 1996) that may also contribute to additional stressors in their caregiving role (Tomeny, 2016). Although these parents, on average, have reported greater symptoms of depression than parents of typically developing children, research shows that parents who reported receiving social support had lower symptoms of depression and stress (Das et al., 2017; Singh et al., 2017). Through the social determinants of health (SDOH) framework (ODPHP, 2022), the present study investigated informal/family-based support and its protective impact on …

Disrupting Inequitable Practices In Special Education: Privileging Student And Family Voices, Armineh E. Hallaran

Theses and Dissertations

Black, Latinx, and other minoritized students have long been overrepresented in the high-incidence, subjective, disability classifications including Learning Disability, Speech and Language Impairment, Emotional Disturbance, and Intellectual Impairment. Special education places these students on trajectories that deny them access to quality education and the same postschool outcomes and opportunities as their nondisabled peers. Using Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit), and grounded theory analysis this study foregrounds the voices of minoritized middle school students receiving special education under high-incidence classifications. DisCrit allowed for an investigation of how student’s intersecting marginalized identities impacted their experiences as special education students. Further, Education Journey …

Assessment Of Postural, Locomotor, And Physical Fitness Status In Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Alana J. Turner

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Postural control and locomotion deficits can be observed during the early years of childhood development and throughout life. For those with disabilities, these deficits can advance past the development years and into adolescence and adulthood while affecting the quality of life and daily activity. Finding interactive rehabilitative activities to delay or limit these deficits is essential for people with disabilities to improve their quality of life, inclusion, and overall movement. Adapted physical activity/sports like badminton and virtual reality could promote improvements in postural and locomotor status for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities like cerebral palsy (CP), intellectual …

Claiming Ownership Of One’S Body Through Language: The Disability Memoir, Sarah Elizabeth Kaufman

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines the ways in which the disability memoir creates pathways that generate new ways of thinking. Focusing primarily on the disability memoirs of Simi Linton, Ellen Forney, and Kenny Fries, this analysis will personalize the disability experience as these authors live it and redefine its social stereotypes.

It Takes A Muscle: Wholes, Holes, And Other Voids, Saar Shemesh

Theses and Dissertations

IT TAKES A MUSCLE¹

In the BELLY of the BEAST, the HUMAN

in the deep end of a SWIMMING POOL

in a GRAVE, looking up/out from within

at the base of a CRATER, ABYSS, PIT

the room as a CRADLE, INCUBATOR

architecture as MOTHER MOULD.²

____________________________

¹ Title is borrowed and abbreviated: Spectral Display, “It Takes A Muscle To Fall In Love,” 1982.

² For what American-English delineates as ‘mold,’ British-English uses ‘mould’ and is more specific in its technicality. The former doesn’t distinguish in spelling between mold (fungus) and mold (mould). I’m not particularly a fan of …

Supported Employment Services And Employment Outcomes For Low-Income Youth With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: A Case Control Study, Hannah Seward Phd

Theses and Dissertations

Transition-age youth, ages 14-24 years old, with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face unique barriers to entering the labor force when exiting high school. These barriers can be even more severe if the youth is from a low-income background. Supported employment (SE) services may help this population overcome these barriers and be employed in competitive integrated employment (CIE) settings. SE provides an employment specialist to guide them through obtaining and retaining a job (McDonough & Whittenburg, 2020; Wehman et al., 2007). However, limited research has been done on the SE experiences and outcomes of transition-age youth with IDD (Wehman et …

Examining The Need For Parental Satisfaction With The Msu Extension Equine Assisted Therapy Program, Ashlyn Ann Kiker

Theses and Dissertations

Animal assisted interventions are becoming more prevalent in our society. Animal interventions have become a popular therapy technique that exist to aid a variety of disabilities. Equine therapeutic riding has become one of the most popular forms of animal assisted therapy for both children and adults. While research shows the importance and benefits of animal assisted therapy for children, there is a lack of research concerning parental satisfaction within therapeutic riding programs.

This study tested a newly developed instrument for measuring parental satisfaction for therapeutic riding programs. The Parent/Caregiver Evaluation Tool (Kerr, 2021) was administered to parents/caregivers whose children participated …

Inclusive Employment For Persons With Disabilities Post Covid-19 In Egypt: Digitization As The Way Forward, Rana Al Gazzaz

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on businesses and jobs whereas many employees were furloughed and laid off. While the global pandemic had a significant negative impact worldwide, it presented a unique opportunity to revolutionize employment for persons with disabilities. Employers’ willingness to rapidly adapt to the changing work environment by transitioning businesses to remote work and flexible working schedules can facilitate an inclusive work environment for persons with disabilities, especially in communities that also face significant geographical barriers to access employment.

The aim of this study is to understand the underlying challenges facing persons with disabilities in …

Support For Students With Disabilities: How Awareness And Accommodations Differ Across Faculty Members Within The Postsecondary Context, Toby Tomlinson Baker

Theses and Dissertations

This case study sought to determine the most salient needs of higher education faculty who instruct and accommodate students with disabilities (SWDs). Therefore, the faculty were analyzed as a community in a university setting. Currently, the accommodations that faculty provide for SWDs vary from institution to institution. Additionally, certain variables, such as faculty’s years with the university, budget, size, and location of the institution impact the level of support provided and what specific accommodations SWDs receive.The purpose of this qualitative case study was to develop an in-depth understanding of the current level of knowledge that faculty obtain for accommodating SWDs. …

Comparing Parent-Report And Performance-Based Measures Of Vestibular Processing, Elisha D. Chambers

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Comparing Parent-report and Performance-based Measures of Vestibular Processing

By Elisha Chambers, MS. OTR/L

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2020

Major Director: Stacey Reynolds, Ph.D OTR/L

Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy

In the field of occupational therapy, there is a need to explore the relationship between performance based-measures and parent-report measures of vestibular functioning because thorough assessment sets the foundation for effective intervention. Time constraints, child distractibility, and limited participation are all issues that pediatric occupational therapists face during evaluations. It …

The Use Of Antecedent-Based Interventions To Increase Compliance Related To Physical Activity In Children With Down Syndrome, Kaylee Nicol Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

Children with Down syndrome often have high body mass index scores, brought on by hypothyroidism, poor mastication, decreased metabolic rates, and inconsistent physical fitness routines. Along with various genotypic characteristics, several behavioral tendencies accompany the diagnosis of Down syndrome. People with this condition often engage in noncompliant behaviors in an attempt to escape work-related tasks such as exercising. A lack of a consistent fitness regimen may result in additional health complications for this particular group of people, as well as ensuing concerns from the parents or guardians who care for them. Because of the propensities for poor physical health in …

Skill Acquisition And Behavior Change Following An Exercise Bout In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Erika Jaci Richards

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine if antecedent bouts of exercise, through the means of a basketball practice, are beneficial to 5 children aged 8 to 11 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in decreasing competing behaviors (e.g., stereotypy, disruptive behaviors). Additionally, basketball skill mastery was measured. Antecedent exercise was corroborated by measuring heart rate. The results of the study indicate that antecedent exercise decreased disruptive behaviors and had no effect on stereotypic behaviors. Of the 5 participants, 4 of them had heart rate levels that indicated they were engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity. All 5 participants …

Teaching Conversation Skills To Adults With Developmental Disabilities Using A Video-Based Intervention Package, Kaitlyn Rayne Osborne

Theses and Dissertations

Social skills deficits may hinder learning, terminate relationships, and impede employment. Individuals with autism and intellectual disability are often characterized with difficulties in social judgement, emotions, and interpersonal relationships, all of which can lead to disruptive and aggressive behaviors. Explicit instruction, video modeling, and video feedback are research-based practices that have been used to teach conversation skills to individuals, particularly children with developmental disabilities and social impairments. This study examined the effects of explicit instruction combined with video modeling and video feedback in teaching six adults ages 18-20 with autism and intellectual disability skills for initiating a conversation. A multiple …

Rehabilitation Counselor Clinical Judgment Model Application With Data From An Individualized Placement And Support Trial For Veterans Living With Spinal Cord Injuries, Kevin Fields

Theses and Dissertations

Employment rates for veterans with spinal cord injuries remain low despite legislation aimed at helping individuals with significant barriers to employment succeed in finding competitive work. As access to services and resultant outcomes become more scrutinized, the need for Rehabilitation Counselors to efficiently allocate resources grows more vital to the cause. Existing research supports a mediated path model of rehabilitation counselor clinical judgment asserting observations of disability severity, intelligence, and psychosocial adjustment lead to inferences of functional status and attribution thereof, which collectively influence predictions of successful rehabilitation. The current study investigated the variance attributable to this clinical judgement model …

Young Adults With Visual Impairments And Driver's Education: Journeys Of Self-Efficacy, Identity, And Transition To Adulthood, Molly Pasley

Theses and Dissertations

A person’s ability to travel independently can determine whether he or she transitions successfully from one life stage to another. One critically important aspect of independent travel is coming to understand how vehicles move in the built environment. For youth without visual disabilities, this information is addressed in depth in driver’s education courses. In the case of adolescents with visual impairments, the acquisition of this information is more complex and raises a number of complicated questions. In this qualitative study, seven adults with visual impairments ages 18-27 and six of their family members are interviewed to determine the impact of …

The Experiences That Promote Success For Students With Intellectual Disability In Postsecondary Education, Kimberly S. Handsome

Theses and Dissertations

This in-depth qualitative, phenomenological (Smith & Fowler, 2009) research study attempted to understand the experiences of young adults with intellectual disability who had completed a 2-year, inclusive postsecondary education program. 13 participants (4 former students with ID, 5 parents, and 4 Postsecondary Education staff members) participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were coded to provide themes amongst each individual group of participants. A document review was also conducted to better understand the program components and add validity to self-reports from interviews. Results were analyzed and used to provide implications for future research and program development.