Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

It Takes A Village: An Examination Of Educational Achievement For Transition-Age Youth In Foster Care, Khalilah Louis Caines

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

For the 20,000 youth that exit the foster care system each year in the United States, educational achievement is difficult to attain as they navigate the transition into adulthood with limited supports and resources (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2021). These youth are three times more likely to drop out of high school than their counterparts. Only 50% graduate from high school, and only 3% obtain a college degree (Courtney et al., 2011). Current efforts to support this population primarily focus on individual, relational, and economic factors with less consideration for the impact of community characteristics on educational …

Assessing The Barriers To Reintegration Among Returnees In Nigeria, Itunu Ilesanmi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Reintegration for internally displaced returnees in Nigeria needs improvement due to the barrier returnees encounter when returning to their communities of origin. As a path to recovery following the unsettling experiences of generalized violence caused by Boko Haram terrorist attacks in Northeastern Nigeria, there is a need for best practices to mitigate challenges during reintegration for internally displaced returnees. With an estimated 2.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Northeastern Nigeria at the end of 2022, 1.98 million have returned to their prior residence, where they must cope and survive while attempting to reintegrate without effective and efficient support to …

Decision-Making And Christianity: Black Queer Women's Mental Health, Deborah Coffy

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study investigated how Christianity affects Black queer women's decision-making regarding seeking mental health services. Those who felt they met the inclusion criteria completed a Basic Demographic Survey. After vetting these individuals, eleven female participants—who are both Black and queer—were asked to participate in an individual semi-structured qualitative interview. The interview focused on one's journey with mental health, societal and relationship influences, Black and LGBTQ+ identity, influences from conservative, traditional, or mainstream Christianity, and sense of self. Although Christianity may not have directly impacted most of the women in this study to seek mental health services, Christianity did have an …

Analyzing Help-Seeking Behaviors And Barriers Among Hispanic Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence, Emely Mejia

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is experienced by millions of women in the U.S. every year. As the population of Hispanic women continues to grow, there is more attention to the unique experience of these women and the factors that disproportionately affect this population when they experience IPV. The objective of this study was to identify the help-seeking behaviors and barriers to help-seeking in Hispanic survivors of IPV. The last published systematic review on this topic was in 2011, showing a gap in our understanding of the prevalent barriers affecting these Hispanic women over the last decade. To assess the current …

Fetishization Of Asian American Women: A Discourse Analysis On The Media Portrayal Of The Victims Of The 2021 Atlanta Spa Shootings, Caitlyn Pham

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Asian American women have an intersectional identity that creates unique experiences, including discrimination and violence with a history of fetishization. In 2021, eight people were shot and killed in three spas in Atlanta, Georgia. Seven of the eight victims were women, six of whom were of Asian descent. While the shooter stated his actions were the results of sex addiction, and not racially motivated, the shootings occurred during a rise in attacks against Asian Americans amid the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. The Atlanta Spa Shootings provide a unique case where we can apply an intersectional lens to determine how …

Examining The Association Between Exposure To Suicide-Related Content And Suicide Ideation And Attempts Among College Students And Their Peers, Cleopatra Elshiekh

Honors Undergraduate Theses

For the last decade, suicide has been the second leading cause of death among college- aged adults (18-25), which coincides with the widespread proliferation of social media. The aim of this study was to identify if there was a correlation between exposure to suicide-related content via differing media outlets (e.g., social media, television, newspapers, music, and movies) and suicide ideation and attempts among college students and peer groups (i.e., participants’ friends or acquaintances). A convenience sampling method using social media, flyers, and the university’s experiment management system (i.e., SONA) was used to recruit 97 undergraduate students from the University of …

Cultivating Culturally Responsive, Equity-Centered, And Trauma-Informed Attitudes Among Educators, Jasmine Haynes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This qualitative study explored the influence of implementing a culturally responsive and equity-centered trauma-informed professional development series with educators. Seven middle school educators from various regions of the U.S. participated in a culturally responsive and equity-centered trauma-informed professional development series in the 2021-2022 academic year. Educators participating in the series received three live virtual two-hour trauma-informed modules highlighting racial trauma, race-related trauma triggers, and deficit versus asset-based perspectives of racially diverse students, along with case studies and critical discourse. Data collection included pre-and post-interviews (n = 14), participant journal reflections (n = 14), and intervention module case study reflection transcripts …

Access Barriers To Long-Term Healthcare For Female Sexual Assault Survivors, Mary E. Farley

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Approximately one in five women in the United States experience childhood sexual abuse or rape as an adult. Healthcare providers are often not equipped to address the long-term effects of sexual trauma and its impact on one's health. Research Question: How can healthcare providers lessen service barriers for SA survivors? Method: This qualitative study employed convenience sampling from clinics that offered family medicine, urgent care, gynecology, or obstetrics. Participants included 11 physicians, physician assistants, and nurses. A semi-structured interview guide was used to explore health providers' perspectives and current practice procedures regarding treatment for sexual assault survivors and the …

Using Geographic Information Systems To Analyze The Effects Of Residential Location On Student Academic Success, Courtney Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Purpose: This study aims to assess the impact of social disorganization indicators (i.e., employment, median-household income, owner-occupied housing, crime, poverty, and minority percentage) on academic performance (i.e., GPA) for 6th and 7th-grade students attending seven K-8 designated Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) in central Florida. Methods: A hot spot cluster analysis was used to identify areas where high and low GPA clustering occurs based on the individual block level GPA data obtained from OCPS. Visual map comparison of cluster results and social disorganization indicators were used to understand if high GPA cluster outcomes occur in areas of social disorganization. Moreover, …

An Examination Of Factors Associated With Lgbtq+ College Students' Adoption Of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (Pep) As An Hiv Prevention Method, Shayna Forgetta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is an effective human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention medication taken after exposure, yet it is not widely used in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) community. Understanding its acceptability is vital, given this population's increased risk for contracting HIV. Drawing from the Health Literacy Skills Framework and the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study provides an examination of PEP-related awareness and knowledge, as well as intention to request and use PEP. Using a cross-sectional survey design, a convenience sample of 131 LGBTQ+ college students from a Southeastern university was recruited through email and social media. …

The Influence Of Neighborhood Structural Characteristics On Treatment Attendance And Mental Health: Comparing Immigrants And Non-Immigrants, Kenan Sualp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

According to the U.S Census Bureau (2017), approximately one in every seven residents in the United States is immigrant. The literature provides evidence that immigrants have better mental and physical health outcomes when compared to U.S. residents. This phenomenon is referred to as the Immigrant Health Paradox (IHP). This study examined the IHP phenomenon by analyzing the data from a clinic that served an uninsured and under-insured population. While controlling for individual-level characteristics (age, gender, income, race, and preferred language), neighborhood-level characteristics such as Neighborhood Concentrated Disadvantage (NCD), and Neighborhood Immigrant Density (NID), this study examined the association between being …

The Influence Of Intersecting Identities On Chronic Stress In College Students, Heather E. Meyer

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study explores the influence of chronic stress in college students. It focuses on the broader chronic stressors that college students experience related to physical and mental health, financial health and wellbeing, and presence of social supports, then addresses the more specific chronic stressors related to intersecting identities of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation. This phenomenon is analyzed under the theoretical frameworks of social determinants of health, intersectionality, and systems theory. An online survey with both open and closed-ended questions was conducted with undergraduate social work students from the Bachelors of Social Work program at the University of Central …

Exploring The Cultural Identity And School Efficacy Of Students Through The Lens Of Digital Storytelling, Rachael Mack

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Digital storytelling is a modern storytelling method that uses videos, images, and audio to share knowledge, wisdom, values, and personal stories from the point of view of the creator in a 2-8-minute first person narrative. This study explored the cultural identity and school efficacy of students through the lens of digital storytelling. This mixed-methods study consisted of both qualitative and quantitative measures. A survey was conducted using the In-Group Identification Scale, the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity, and the School Efficacy Scale as the quantitative measures, and qualitative data was generated from the transcription and analysis of the digital storytelling …

Online Communities For Information Sharing And Mutual Support For Health Professionals, Meghan Budvarson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This study was conducted to explore the use of online communities for information sharing and mutual support by health professionals, in this case, oncology social workers (OSW). The characteristic traits of individuals using online listservs and reasons for use is largely under researched. The main objective of this research is to explore the nature of social exchange and use of a professional online community that occurs on the Social Work Oncology Network (SWON) listserv and the characteristics of those OSWs using the listserv. Using a researcher developed survey, associations between characteristics of listserv users and reasons for use were explored. …

Socioeconomic, Political, And Regulatory Determinants Of State Sanctioning Patterns For Clinical Social Workers, Nickolas Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The regulation of social work licensure and the associated rules governing social work practice fall under the purview of the states. Each state has implemented different policies and requirements governing social work licensure. Like many other helping professions, social workers are largely governed by a state board that has the authority to impose sanctions for violation of the established laws and rules. These sanctions are reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Some research has been conducted on sanctioning trends of state boards; however, it is limited in that …

Transplant Center Criteria And Inequalities Within Transplant Wait Listing Process, Melanie Bergeron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

More than 650,000 people per year in the United States are affected by End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) (US Renal Data System, 2013). This diagnosis affects many areas of the patient's life and patients have limited options for treatment. Kidney transplantation for patients with ESRD continues to be noted as the most optimal treatment (Rubin & Weir, 2015; Maggiore, et al., 2014; Patzer, Platinga, Krisher, & Pastan, 2014). However, despite this information, utilization of transplantation remains inconsistent and variable in the population. There are many areas of disparities regarding the kidney transplant waitlist including wait times, gaining access to the …

Assessing Institutional Response To Sexual Violence On College Campuses: The Relationship Between Organizational Characteristics Of Colleges And Adherence To National Guidelines, Lisa Macri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a cross sectional exploratory study assessing adherence to the federal campus sexual violence Clery Act and Title IX guidelines among a national sample of (n=94) institutions of higher education (IHE) to determine if there are any relationships between organizational characteristics and CSV policy adherence using a three-part index of compliance: (1). Levels of IHE compliance to federal policies; (2). Levels of IHE provision of CSV prevention services and programs; and (3). Levels of IHE provision of CSV interim and supportive measures. Resource Dependency Theory (Pfeffer & Salancik, 1978) informed the study's primary hypothesis that an IHE's reliance …

An Examination Of The Florida Linking Individuals Needing Care Coordination Program For Racial And Ethnic Minority Females, Michelle Vance

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Suicide accounts for close to 800,000 deaths each year, making it one of the leading causes of death in the United States. In the state of Florida, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death. Currently, it is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 15-29, claiming more lives than homicide. Among Black and Hispanic youth (10 to 24), it is the 2nd and 3rd leading causes of death. This study aimed to examine the extent to which depression and suicidality outcomes change among racial and ethnic minority females (i.e., Black and African American, Hispanic) who participated …

An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Work Climate, The Utilization Of Support Resources, And Compassion Fatigue Level In Child Protective Investigators, Shannon Holliker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The impact of child maltreatment is far reaching, affecting the abused child, the family system, and the professionals tasked with providing support during the moments of crisis. As child protective investigators (CPIs) provide care and support to others, they are at high risk of experiencing secondary traumatic stress and/or burnout, both aspects of compassion fatigue. Researchers suggest that work climate, utilization of resources, and worker characteristics can impact CPI compassion-fatigue level. Drawing on extant literature, this study examined three research questions and seven hypotheses aiming to explore the relationship between work climate, resource utilization, CPI characteristics, and CPI compassion-fatigue level. …

The American Dream And The Filipino College Student, Angelo Gabriel G. Baldado

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The American Dream Ideology is defined by Sociologist, Jennifer Hochschild as, "All persons in the United States can achieve the American Dream, which is defined as the achievement of success however that is defined to oneself, through hard work and one's own efforts." Filipino Americans have a unique history with the United States and much of Filipino culture has roots within its history of colonization by Spain and the United States. Previous research has shown a high consistent rate of immigration into the United States, and high rates of social mobility among second-generation Asian immigrants compared to first-generation Asian immigrants. …

Assessing The Impact Of Meaningful Employment On The Self-Esteem Of Male Veterans, Gary Grimes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the relationship between meaningful employment and self-esteem in male veterans. Meaningful employment is an important element of reintegration, the process all veterans go through to transition from active duty military service back into society. Reintegration involves three major areas: physical and mental health, employment, and family and friend relationships. A sample of 30 male veterans were interviewed. After the interviews, two instruments were used to further examine the variables (meaningful employment and self-esteem). The instruments were administered to measure the individual's perception regarding meaningful employment and level of self-esteem. The interviews were the primary focus, with the …

Risk Factors Associated With The Arrest For Adolescent To Parent Abuse, Coleen Cicale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored risk factors associated with the arrest for adolescent to parent abuse (ATPA) when compared to arrest for a similar violent misdemeanor against a non-parent. The phenomenon of ATPA is widely under-researched and there is little in terms of prevention policy or treatment. Using 18,548 risk assessment screens performed with adolescents (12-17) arrested in Florida for a violent misdemeanor, and guided by previous literature and social ecological and social bond theories, this analysis explored the relationship between risk factors (categorized as individual characteristics, beliefs, behavior, commitment and involvement and attachment) and arrest for ATPA versus arrest for a …

The Effects Of Social Support And Working Alliance On Latino-American Male Combat Veterans, Lloyd Duran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The negative effects of traumatic combat experiences on combatants' psychological functioning is well documented in the literature. The Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) has resulted in many veterans returning from deployments with mental health conditions related to trauma exposure, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, general anxiety, and suicidality. Past researchers found significant ethnic differences in psychological functioning, with Latino-American veterans reporting more symptoms of PTSD. Furthermore, Latino-American cultural values place importance on collective orientation and secrecy of mental health concerns which may affect treatment. Thus, this study built on limited research about Latino-American male combat veterans by focusing on …

Use Of A Music And Memory Program By Caregivers Of Persons With Dementia, Barbara Mendez Campos

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Although use of personal music devices by persons with dementia and their caregivers is now widespread, there is limited literature concerning music and memory’s effects on caregivers for persons with dementia. Caregivers were provided an iPod by two respite agencies and were encouraged to use it with their care recipient. A mailed survey of 50 caregivers who received an IPod explored: (a) associations between use of an iPod and caregiver self-efficacy, burden, and care recipient functional abilities, and; (b) if the method of presenting the music playlist was associated with use of the iPod. Associations were examined for 10 complete …

Determinants Of Health-Related Quality Of Life Of Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease, Shabu Varghese

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

End-stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) constitutes a serious public health problem in the United States. According to the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), in 2013, Medicare spending alone accounts for $30.9 billion for the treatment-related expenses for ESRD. The purpose of this study was to examine the causal relationship of two important determinants, perceived social support and treatment adherence with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of ESRD patients. Using the health belief model and Bandura's self-efficacy theory, the study explained the theoretical underpinnings of the causal relationships of the patient's perspectives of perceived social support …

The Usage Of Young Adult Literature As A Vehicle To Teach Cultural Empathy, Samuelle Voltaire

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Social Work education is focused on helping students identify triggers and biases prior to entering the workforce, with an aim towards cultural competence. Class discussions and homework assignments are particularly intentional: through various assignments, students are urged to work on those issues before entering clinical practice. Young Adult (YA) literature has been successfully used in the field of Education to teach empathy and reflectivity regarding diversity to preservice teachers. The use of YA literature may hold promise for Social Work education as a teaching tool, but the extent of current use in Social Work education is unknown. An anonymous survey …

Intensive Care In Oncology: Admission And Outcomes In Adult Patients With Cancer, Surya John

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Historically, patients with cancer have been perceived as poor candidates for ICU admission. General ICU admission criteria lists cancer patients as low priority in ICU admission depriving them of the care they rightfully deserve. The purpose of this literary synthesis was to examine ICU admission criteria, risk factors, and outcomes of ICU admission in relation to hematological and solid tumor cancers and discuss ways that practitioners and nurses can educate patients with cancer and their families on appropriateness of ICU care.

Methods: A total of 768 articles were found in a literature search including all literature from 2005 to …

Latino Cultural Competency In Social Work Education: A Review Of The Literature, Liana Menendez

HIM 1990-2015

Cultural competence serves as resource for social workers and other helping professionals to improve service delivery by using approaches that are compatible with the client’s cultural values and beliefs. As the Latino population continues to grow, understanding the culture has important implications for social work practice, advocacy and research. There is a dearth of cultural competence training and educational programs that seek to effectively identify, address and meet the unique cultural and linguistic needs of Latinos. With the growing population and a lack of culturally responsive services, clinicians familiar with the Latino culture and Latino cultural competency training and education …

Domestic Violence Shelter Policies Across The State Of Florida, Kyra Nickell

HIM 1990-2015

Domestic violence shelters can vary greatly in the services available to victims and their families. The funding shelters receive can impact the shelter’s ability to provide specialized services. Since the availability of services might vary from shelter to shelter, victims can have different experiences based on their location. This cross-sectional study contacted representatives from nine shelters in the State of Florida and asked the representatives nine questions about the services which are available at their respective shelter. The findings from this research show that these nine shelters offer a greater number of services than the study expected. However, there is …

The Increase Of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap) Participation By Low Income Workers: A Social Work Perspective, Elizabeth Scheiner

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the literature focused on the increased utilization of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by low-income workers attempting to become food secure. Poverty measurement will be discussed for its importance to accurately identify individuals and families who are still excluded of social services and programs due to a faulty measurement of poverty. Furthermore, this paper will identify how the limitations of the current minimum wage system in the United States contributes to food insecurity within the population of low-income workers. A concise history of the creation of the SNAP …