Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Influences Of Acculturative Stress And Gender Roles On Sexual Subjectivity In European, Asian, And Latinx Immigrant Women In The U.S., Silvia Re

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

In the process of acculturation, cisgender immigrant women are at greater risk of experiencing acculturative stress, often entailing a reconsideration of their self-concepts and identities as members of new sociocultural contexts. Gender roles and sexual subjectivity are two identity features they can revise given their ties to culture and socialization. Results from previous studies suggest that cisgender immigrant women’s sociocultural contexts, related values, and attitudes may contribute to their levels of stress, sense of self-efficacy, self-esteem, and sexual subjectivity. This study aimed to fill gaps in the existing literature and raised awareness of the relationship between acculturative stress, gender role …

Factors Contributing To Recurrent Homelessness Among Single Mothers Using Shelters, Favour O. Akhidenor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Building on the long-term benefits of early homelessness prevention and intervention. And scaling up support for single parents with children is essential to improving economic status, good health, human capital, and well-being across all areas of life expectancy. Chronically homeless people, homeless veterans, and homeless families have all been the subject of specific studies. Yet only a few studies have investigated single mothers' return to homelessness (Anderson, 2021). Studies suggest that between 4 and 25 percent of women, who were previously homeless, end up using shelter services again, despite being provided with "permanent" housing (Johnson, 2016). This indicates that, as …

Exploring The Experiences Of Black, Brown, Indigenous, And People Of Color In High School Concert Bands And Orchestral Ensembles, Matthew J. Smith

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

The traditional concert band/orchestra model in many public high schools often passively presents content regarding Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). BIPOC students in these ensembles bring a wealth of experience from their communities. Meanwhile, BIPOC face barriers including invalidation and a diminished sense of representation in these ensembles. This qualitative investigation explored how BIPOC students in a public 9-12 high school district experienced social, pedagogical, curricular practices in their school’s concert band/orchestra. Guided by critical race theory and culturally responsive pedagogy, and employing interpretive phenomenological analysis, this study addressed the lack of inclusivity and representation experienced by BIPOC …

Lack Of Multicultural Representation In Children’S Literature And Societal Attitudes On Youths’ Self-Perception, Ellen Knutson

Counselor Education Capstones

This Capstone Project addresses the use of multicultural representation in children’s literature, with particular relevance to educational resources and curriculum. Likewise, there is consideration of the impact of societal attitudes towards multicultural education and acts of inclusivity on the implementation of such ideas. Societal attitudes mentioned include state legislature and literature censorship. The implementation of multicultural education would inherently represent larger numbers of underrepresented communities and individuals, which would then be included in the classroom. This Capstone looks to understand the potential impact of thorough implementation of multicultural education and inclusive, representative literature for youth.

Opportunity Discrimination: Resettlement Efforts Made By Ngos In The United States, Sarah Rauf

Capstone Collection

Social identity plays a key aspect in life. This research tests whether homogeneity between refugees and their host communities correlates to the immigration process and resettlement success. The analysis helps form a conclusion that people want to help those who look like themselves before those who appear more foreign. This is related to the central theories of social identity and prejudice stemming from stereotyping. Data collection comes from interviews with staff at a number of NGOs in the United States. The immigration and resettlement policies of these NGOs have been researched, and members were interviewed on the reformation of their …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Youth Experiencing Homelessness: A Qualitative Study, Bryan A. Pecoraro

Dissertations, 2020-current

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted youth experiencing homelessness (YEH). During the coronavirus outbreak, millions of people’s health worldwide was negatively affected. In addition to poor physical health, society’s mental health was affected by political discourse, viral mitigation factors, social distancing, and distrust of both the media and government. Decades of research with those experiencing homelessness suggest that the housing insecure suffer from a litany of poor outcomes. Their physical and mental health are negatively affected by traumas and illnesses suffered prior to, and during, their transience. This study takes a phenomenological …

“Am I Light Enough?”: Mercury Poisoning Due To Skin-Lightening Products, A Policy, And A Culturally Competent Solution, Raven Joyce Redaniel Uayan

Master's Projects and Capstones

Introduction: This paper aims to declare skin-lightening products containing mercury as a public health issue that deserves recognition in health and attention in health policy reforms.

Background and Literature Review: The public health issue analyzed with research and literature review encompasses worldwide mercury poisoning cases, databases of illegal skin-lightening creams, cosmetic safety laws, and policies on online selling platforms. The literature review addresses the existing knowledge regarding mercury in skin-lightening products and identifies the gaps in health policy and awareness surrounding this issue.

Methods: The paper includes many articles analyzing the issue from a global perspective, utilizing …

Irs-Sanctioned Secrecy For Religious Nonprofits: Stepstone Or Stumbling Block?, Mark W. Smith

Master's Projects and Capstones

Internal Revenue Service code automatically confers 501(c)3 nonprofit charity status on religious nonprofits which appear to be “A church, convention of churches, or association of churches described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(i),” as labeled in the IRS Form 990. Additionally, religious charities functioning as a part of a church have no requirement to report any financial information or policies to the IRS or anyone else. This acquiescence to secrecy keeps most of the data on these nonprofit organizations unavailable for research or to inform legislative action or agency policies. This automatic status may also lead to complacency in organizations in financial accountability, …

Resilience Through Urban Green Spaces: Collaborations And Collective Action Toward Equitable Access And Creation Of Green Space In Albany, New York, Frederick Bentley

Capstone Collection

The crisis of climate change-driven disaster and instability is affecting humans all over the world, especially vulnerable populations in urban settings. This crisis exacerbates social inequalities in cities that exist from a legacy of discriminatory policies. This research centers local perspectives and policies on access and utilization of green spaces as a vital social and green infrastructure within the city of Albany, NY. Building off literature establishing green space as a means to build climate resilience and foster community wellbeing, this paper uses a socio-ecological lens to explore efforts being made by government and community organizations to foster equity, social …

Using Community Organizing Best Practices To Redesign The Dart Organizers' Institute, Anna Long

Capstone Collection

This Training-of-Trainers Course-Linked Capstone project explores three approaches to community organizing from three different scholar-practitioners. It begins with the father of grassroots organizing, Saul Alinsky’s, neighborhood-based and congregation-based approach. Alinsky’s approach is followed by Alicia Garza’s approach; Garza is the founder of the international Black Lives Matter movement. It ends with author and organizer adrienne maree brown’s Emergent Strategy approach. This paper will synthesize all three approaches, ultimately identifying four recommended approaches to community organizing: power, motivation, emotion, and centering impacted voices. The four recommended approaches will be used to evaluate the new organizer training (Organizers’ Institute) for the Direct …

No Integration Without Employment: Asylum-Seekers In Serbia And Their Search For Employment, Jona Block

Capstone Collection

Employment is traditionally viewed as an integral component of refugee integration. Previous research suggests that for refugees, employment benefits psychological well-being, provides economic security, and develops social networks. The current research explores the dynamic between integration and employment for asylum-seekers and refugees in Serbia. It seeks to understand the difficulties these displaced populations face finding employment and why they remain in a country which is traditionally viewed as a transit country into the European Union. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured, qualitative interviews with asylum-seekers, refugees, and Key Informants in Serbian CSOs (Civil Society Organizations). The data shows that employment …

Assessing School Psychologists’ Perspective Of Students Entering A School District From Juvenile Detention Facilities, Emily Wuenschell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents who are involved with the juvenile justice system encounter setbacks, stigma, and other increased risk factors that negatively impact their future life outcomes. Schools, and in turn school psychologists, are in the unique position of being able to provide effective services for these adolescents. Previous research has identified many practices that schools can implement to improve the academic, social, and vocational prospects of adolescents entering their districts from a juvenile justice placement. This study sought to understand the role of school psychologists in this transition by assessing their recommendations for and opinions of students involved with juvenile justice. Results …

"The Land That Feminism Forgot": Birthzillas, Madwives, And The Politics Of Chilbirth, Amber Vayo

Doctoral Dissertations

“The Land that Feminism Forgot” is an in-depth exploration of the politics of childbirth that draws together qualitative and quantitative evidence to theorize the connections between treatment in childbirth and maternal mortality. Situating the qualitative research in the larger national context, the second chapter offers a State Reproductive Autonomy Index that provides an overview of the reproductive policy landscape at the national level. The dissertation then explores the role of institutionalized childbirth, medical mistrust, and obstetric violence in the U.S.’s longstanding maternal mortality crisis and offers policy suggestions in key public health areas. Through 120 qualitative interviews with people who …

The Evaluation Of "The Wrong Answer Project" As Validity Evidence For The Social Consequences Of Testing, Darius D. Taylor

Doctoral Dissertations

The use of educational tests for making high stakes decisions has had societal consequences for decades. Parents, teachers, and administrators have been willing to pay off, lie, cheat, and steal so that their children, students, and they themselves would not fall prey to the negative consequences of subpar performance on educational assessments. Respected psychometric scholars have supported Samuel Messick’s claim over the years, but their advocacy has caught minimal traction. I founded an initiative in 2019 – The Wrong Answer Project – that shows promise as a vehicle for collecting validity evidence based on the social consequences of testing and …

For The Love Of Teaching: Pre-Service Teachers’ Experience Of Moral Education, Anne Marie Foley Ruiz

Doctoral Dissertations

Moral aspects of teaching arise each and every day, yet we lack information about how prepared teachers feel about this critical aspect of teaching. This multi-case study explores perceptions of five pre-service teachers in an elementary teacher education program in Western Massachusetts. A series of interviews explore their histories prior to the program and their experiences in the program as related to the pre-service teachers’ orientations to the moral work of teaching. Research questions address the awareness and self-efficacy of student teachers in implementing the moral aspects of teaching. Using Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006), this study explores beliefs …

The African American Dream Deferred: Exploring The Relationship Between The “American Dream” And The Black American Millennial Reality, Simonleigh P. Miller

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this qualitative study is to highlight and bring understanding to the lived experiences of Black American millennials. This study was conducted from the constructivist and critical research paradigms and utilized Reflexive Thematic Analysis methods to analyze qualitative data. The study places specific focus on Black or African American millennials’ associated thoughts and feelings regarding their current reality and positionality within the American context, and its relation to the idealized reality of the American Dream. The influence of the American Dream on the African American millennial reality was explored to gain a better understanding of how, or if …

Equalizing Community Voice In An International Service-Learning Project: A Narrative Inquiry Of A Social Entrepreneurial Peruvian Women's Group, Monica D. Hernandez

Theses & Dissertations

Traditionally, international service-learning (ISL) programs are created and led by host groups, which frequently overlook the international communities’ learning process and perspectives and the long-term impact of service missions on the community. Fundamentally, ISL is meant to address community needs. With the principal focus being on enriching students’ learning, community voice is often eclipsed. The research aim was to investigate the empowerment and efficacy of an ISL project to strengthen relationships between engaged scholars and international communities and improve future service-learning trips. Using a qualitive narrative research design, I investigated a 2021-2022 ISL Based Photovoice Project applying Kolb’s Experiential Learning …

The Impact Of Social Determinants Of Health And Acculturation On Quality Of Life In Older Chinese American Adults With Chronic Pain: A Quantitative Study, Chi Lam

Dissertations

Despite a rapid increase in the older Chinese American adult population, there are very few research studies examining the impact of social determinants of health and acculturation on the quality of life in older Chinese American adults. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of social determinants of health and acculturation on quality of life in older Chinese American adults with chronic pain. This quantitative, descriptive correlational study utilized Madeleine Leininger’s Transcultural Theory as its theoretical framework. Two research questions guided this study: (1) Was there a difference in the quality of life in older Chinese American …

Dismantling Anti-Blackness In Teacher Education: Centering Black Epistemologies To (Re)Construct Elementary Language Arts Education For Linguistic And Racial Justice, Jasmyn Kymberly Jones

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Black students and their linguistic resources are undervalued, disdained, disrespected, and disregarded in language arts classrooms. Not only is Black Language often ignored in English language arts instruction, but language more generally remains largely hidden within elementary ELA. Elementary ELA educators are tasked with teaching a vast array of skills, content, and concepts. So, teacher education programs are responsible for ensuring that preservice teachers leave prepared to take on the task of cultivating language arts classrooms that foster students’ literacy development. However, traditionally, literacy teacher education and the ELA curriculum has maintained white mainstream English as the standard for which …

Greenwashing “Brown Gold”: A Critical Analysis Of Anaerobic Digesters And California’S Neoliberal Environmental Programs In Wisconsin’S Dairyland, Sarah Emily D'Onofrio

Doctoral Dissertations

Large dairy farms, also known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), have turned to anaerobic digesters as the industry is increasingly pressured to find ways to lower their greenhouse gas emissions. Digesters are machines that turn animal waste from CAFOs into electricity and fuel which are then sold as “credits” in California’s market based climate change mitigation programs such as cap and trade and the low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) program. However, this dissertation not only challenges the assertion that digesters are “green,” but also that these programs are doing what they claim to do in a deregulated and re-regulated …

How To Drink From A Firehose: Systemic Supports For Polytechnic Chairs, Jocelyn R. Crocker

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) is centred on the Problem of Practice of the inadequate institutional supports for academic Chairs at Prairie Polytechnic (a pseudonym), a large public higher education institution in Western Canada. Chairs are pivotal for higher education institutions because they impact student, departmental, and institutional outcomes; however, the leadership development needs of Chairs are overlooked, and the limited training available for Chairs is primarily ad hoc, episodic, short-term, and self-guided. The objective of this OIP is to determine how Prairie Polytechnic can provide more effective systemic supports for Chairs. Postmodernism is used to explore the relationships between …

The Combined Effects Of Discrimination And Holding Multiple Intersecting Marginalized Identities On Substance Use Among Adolescents, Ashley Thomas

Theses and Graduate Projects

Individuals with multiple intersecting marginalized identities may be at greater risk for negative outcomes and exposure to discrimination during development. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of discrimination and having multiple marginalized identities on substance use among Minnesota youth. Using data gathered from the 2019 administration of the Minnesota Student Survey, a large statewide survey of 80,456 9th and 11th grade students, this study aimed to identify how holding multiple intersecting identities related to experiences of discrimination and substance use in Minnesota youth. Findings revealed that participants with more marginalized identity statuses experienced higher rates of …

An Analysis Of Communication-Related Information And Services Offered To Parents Of Deaf Children In Puerto Rico, Brenda Belcher

Capstone Collection

The period from birth to five years is a critical stage for human language acquisition, and inadequate access to language during this period can cause far-reaching negative effects. Young deaf and hard-of-hearing children face barriers to acquiring language through speaking and listening techniques, and their parents must make consequential decisions about what communicative strategies to pursue for their child. In Puerto Rico, information and support around communication approaches flow to parents from a variety of sources, including the Island’s local Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) system, three dedicated schools for the deaf, and a variety of community-based organizations. This …

Black Maternal Mortality: A Result Of The Haunting Past, Jaylynn Arnold

Global Honors Theses

Throughout history, Black women have been treated as less than human in a variety of traumatic ways for generations, all of which have negatively affected the physical and emotional well-being of free and enslaved Black women. This consisted of being victims of medical abuse, sexual abuse, degrading stereotypes, and the right to easily access basic human needs such as quality healthcare. Current research has shown that within the United States, Black women have the highest rate of maternal mortality than any other ethnicity of women especially when compared to white women. Being that 84% of these maternal deaths are preventable, …

Professionals' Application Of Intersectionality With Marginalized Youth: Considerations For Teen Dating Violence Prevention Programming And Beyond, Bradley Kyle Daly

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Marginalized youth disproportionality experience adverse outcomes such as increased rates of mental health issues and teen dating violence. Addressing their compounding concerns requires an approach that considers their interlocking marginalized identities and the oppressive systems impacting them. Intersectionality incorporates both elements, yet the literature on how frontline practitioners understand and apply this complex theory within their practice remains sparse. This integrated-article dissertation explored how professionals working with marginalized youth within various settings, including teen dating violence prevention contexts, understood and applied intersectionality. The first paper (chapter two) used group concept mapping to explore how 12 professionals applied intersectionality. Results yielded …

Trans-Formation: Establishing Interdisciplinary Support For The Transgender Experience Through Historical, Biological, And Religious Lenses, Gaymarie Vaughan

Graduate Liberal Studies Theses and Dissertations

Quite frankly, nothing could be more relevant to a modern discussion about what it means to be human than the emergence of discourse on transgender identity. By looking at the long history of human evolution, the impact that the progressing fields of science and medicine have had on human development, and the human need for bodily autonomy, it should be taken for granted that transgender issues belong in public discourse and that transgender people deserve to enjoy the same rights and freedoms all other humans share. This research advocates for best and most inclusive societal practices for transgender individuals by …

Creating Inclusive Classrooms With Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, Melissa Kane

Doctor of Education in Secondary and Middle Grades Education Dissertations

This is a qualitative phenomenographic study that uses the theoretical frameworks of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) (Paris, 2012), Intergroup Contact Theory (Allport 1954), and Social Constructivism (Smagorinsky, 2007) to evaluate how 7^th grade students at a Title I middle school in the Southeastern United States experience the phenomenon of peer relationships in the context of a CSP writing unit. Students created, peer edited, and shared multimodal “Where I’m From” (Lyon, n.d.) poems in intentionally created groups. The researcher collected data via participant interviews, participant journals, and a researcher reflection journal. Findings indicated that students developed a better understanding of …

A Public Health Educational Campaign For Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (Suid) Intervention, Elia G. Peralta Landeros

Master's Projects and Capstones

Purpose: The rate of infant mortality serves as a crucial indicator of the overall health of society (CDC, 2022). The five leading causes of infant mortality are birth defects, preterm birth, sudden infant death syndrome, injuries, and maternal pregnancy complications. The prevalence of infant mortality varies across states, with eastern states and minority-ethnicity infants having higher prevalence. This thesis proposes utilizing the Safe to Sleep framework to introduce Giving Breath, a public health education campaign that introduced breastfeeding as an intervention to Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID).

Methods:

1. Analyze current and new policies' impact on women's rights to breastfeed …

The Fall And Rise Of Bengali Muslim Conciousness: Conceptualising The Identity Of The Bangla Universal, Habib Khan

Theses and Dissertations

The emergence of modern-nation states saw the end of the empirical era of exploitation and exercise of inherent racist tendencies towards the 'other'. However, the effect of that colonial system is still ever-present in the creation and governance of these newly independent states. While every new state aims to be 'modern', they adopt the international legal framework of the West as their own - a system they had initially wanted to escape. The concept of Muslim universality in the form of the ummah should have freed Pakistan from the shackles of its former colonial masters. Instead, this phenomenon was replaced …

The Impact Of Period Poverty On Low-Income Adolescents In The United States, Makayla Olson

University Honors Theses

Period poverty is an issue that impacts menstruators globally. This creates a significant health disparity for menstruators, including difficulties accessing menstrual products, inadequate menstrual and puberty health education, and shame and stigma that come from societal misunderstandings and misinformation regarding menstruation. This paper examines the effects of period poverty on low-income adolescents in the United States. It looks at the current literature that addresses how the financial and accessibility barriers that cause period poverty, as well as how these causes impact school-aged menstruators. It aims to address the role that schools play in creating safe environments for menstruators, including staff …