Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

On Doing Non-Binary Gender: An Examination Of Perceived Discrimination And Geographic Location, Megan Ridler

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This thesis explores how non-binary people perceive and manage the threat of discrimination during their daily experiences. Participants (n=9) were interviewed with opened-ended questions about their gender presentation, experiences of discrimination, and use of tactics to navigate perceived discrimination in their communities. The difference of geographic location had the biggest impact on how participants responded to the set of interview questions. Non-binary people from rural areas perceived people to discriminate against them and actively engaged in avoidance tactics including keeping their gender identities closeted and engaging in presentation shifts. In sharp contrast, participants from urban or suburban areas used tactics …

Do They Make A Difference? Twin Cities Magnet Schools In The Heart Of Metropolitan Inequity And Segregation, Scott A. Thomas

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Magnet schools have served as one of the most important and widely-used desegregation tools throughout the United States. Each district, region, and state have varying degrees of implementation, policies, and goals for such schools; however, robust evidence of their effectiveness is needed. This study examines a single school district in Minnesota that uses magnet schools to meet a state desegregation order where five elementary magnet schools and five control schools were identified to understand the impact the magnet “treatment” has on achievement for students of color, English learners, and students receiving special education services. This multivariate comparative study uses the …

Who’S Afraid Of Divorce? Sexual Minority Young Adults And Their Willingness To Divorce, Aaron Hoy, Jori Nkwenti, Sachita Pokhrel

Sociology Department Publications

No abstract provided.

Accounting For Same-Sex Divorce: Relationship- Versus Self-Focused Divorce Accounts And The Meanings Of Marriage Among Gay Men And Lesbians, Aaron Hoy

Sociology Department Publications

No abstract provided.

Health Disparities Faced By Racial/Ethnic Groups Amid The Covid-19 Pandemic: Social Factors Contributing To The Physical Health Of Minorities, Prajita Chauhan

ENG 101 Library Research Scholarship Recipients' Papers

2021 ENG 101 Library Research Scholarship Recipient

The main purpose of this literature review is to understand the social factors that impact the physical health of racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Studies investigating the health disparities among racial and ethnic groups show that these particular minority populations are disadvantaged in other aspects of life, such as social factors, which ultimately affect their ability to access and utilize healthcare in the United States.

Paid Sick Time: An Essential Benefit For All Of Minnesota's Workers, Leah Hanson, Caitlin Kemp, Carrie Leggett

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

Paid sick time is an essential benefit for all workers in Minnesota. Paid sick time is an economic issue, a public health issue, and an equity issue. Workers should not have to choose between going to work sick or losing a day of pay. Low wage workers, women, Black, Indigenous, people of color, and people living in rural areas are least likely to work at jobs that provide paid sick time. Three cities in Minnesota have implemented paid sick time for workers, along with twelve States and the District of Columbia. It is time for Minnesota to act now and …

Divorce Ideation And "Deal Breakers" Among Married Gay Men And Lesbians: A Qualitative Exploration, Aaron Hoy, Anfa Diiriye, Emily Gunderson

Sociology Department Publications

Regardless of whether married individuals are actively pursuing divorce, at all stages of marriage, individuals can experience thoughts of divorce, which are often termed “divorce ideation” in the literature. However, with same-sex marriage only being legalized in 2015, the literature has yet to explore divorce ideation among individuals married to a same-sex partner. In this article, we used semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 28 married gay men and lesbians to explore how and under what circumstances gay men and lesbians think about divorce. We find that although a slight majority of participants had never considered divorce, many had, especially during periods …

Spatial Patterns Of Crime In District 05, Quito-Ecuador, 2016-2020, Pablo Esteban Ochoa Veloz

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The geography of crime in Ecuador has not been geographically studied. In Quito, few criminal studies have been developed from a geographic approach. This research focuses on studying trends and patterns of crime in Quito`s District 05 by employing spatial analytical tools using GIS (Geographic Information System), statistics and cartographic techniques. This study aims to contribute to the literacy in crime-related topic in the country. Quito´s District 05 houses a representative percentage of the city´s financial services, retail activities, and other tertiary services. This district is among the most important economic business district in the city which attract many people …

Who's Afraid Of Divorce? Sexual Minority Young Adults' Perspectives On Divorce, Aaron Hoy, Sachita Pokhrel, Jori Nkwenti

Sociology Department Publications

Research suggests that young adults commonly approve of divorce but still feel anxious about the possibility of divorcing themselves due to anticipated emotional and financial repercussions. However, the existing research focuses exclusively on heterosexual young adults, which is a significant oversight given the recent legalization of same-sex marriage. As such, we rely primarily on qualitative data from an online survey of unmarried sexual minority young adults (n = 257) to examine how they think about divorce. Our results suggest that sexual minority young adults have somewhat distinct perspectives compared to heterosexual young adults. In particular, they anticipate being quite willing …

Critical Race Theory, Andrew P. Johnson

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

Critical race theory (CRT) is one such theory used to explain and understand the phenomenon known as systemic racism. CRT invites us to critically our examine policies, practices, assessment, curriculum, courses, pedagogy, and traditions.

This article is an excerpt from my book: Johnson, A. (2022). Essential Learning theories: The human dimension. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield.

Student-Parenting During A Global Pandemic: A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Experience Of Community College Student-Parents, Malinde Althaus

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Approximately one-quarter of undergraduate students are parents or guardians of dependent children. While having similar or higher GPAs, student-parents have lower rates of graduation than peers without children and often struggle with finances, childcare, and scheduling. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced many new stressors to our lives. In addition to the mental and physical health risks during the pandemic, college students experienced a change in delivery of classes to largely online and for parents of school age children, it has added challenges of supporting children at home in distance learning. This study used a feminist phenomenological approach to discover the lived …

Analyzing The Use Of A Montessori-Based Activity & Its Effect On Engagement & Affect In Persons With Dementia: A Replication Study, Emilee J. Andersen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Activities are an essential element in institutionalized settings for persons with dementia. Challenges are faced, however, when developing and implementing stimulating and meaningful activities for this population. Over the past two decades, Montessori-based activities (MBAs) have been investigated as a means for meeting the needs of persons with dementia residing in long-term care facilities. MBAs were developed to enhance the quality of life for individuals experiencing dementia through maximization of engaging and meaningful activities. The purpose of the current study was to expand on the empirical literature related to the use of MBAs for persons with dementia by replication of …

Covid-19 And Work-Family Conflict: A Gendered Lens Required For Developing Organizational Benefits And Programs, Qendresa Isniqi

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted people's work and family lives. The work-family conflict has seen an increase with the onset of the pandemic as families have found themselves in complex roles such as family sustainers, teachers for their children, and family caregivers while quarantined with the same individuals for months. Concurrently there have been expectations grown from the employers to introduce effective programs or services to support employees so that an expected amount of productivity is maintained while also maintaining a sense of care for their employees. Some of the strategies suggested in the literature include flexible scheduling, leadership communication, …

Comparison Of Sexual Risk Behaviors Between Junior Male And Female Students At Pierz High School, Sandy Tautges

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of the study was to conduct a secondary analysis of Minnesota Student Survey data to compare selected sexual risk behavior of male and female eleventh grade students at Pierz High School. The secondary analysis revealed that the males and females are not significantly different with respect to the selected sexual risk behaviors. The conclusion can be reached that there is no need to tailor the sexual health instruction to students based on gender.

Identity Change Strategies: How People Exit Stigmatized Identities, Mercy N. Adams

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Using a symbolic interactionist lens, this analysis of existing literature examines how people attempt to exit and/or repair a “spoiled identity” (Goffman 1963). Examining a wide range of stigmatized or deviant-labeled groups are discussed including individuals experiencing homelessness, justice involved individuals, drug and alcohol addicts, mental health disordered individuals, caregivers, sex workers, displaced workers, and those holding hidden identities in order to hide a temporary deviant identity. Four strategies are analyzed: (1) othering; (2) hiding/disguising a stigmatized identity; (3) embracing an identity, and (4) repairing a stigmatized identity. This analysis contributes to our understanding of identity change by highlighting how …

Sexual Assault In The News, Sydney Blair

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Previous research has evaluated the presence of blame, myths, and stigma that sexual assault survivors experience online and within interactions with others. In the era of the #MeToo movement, has that changed? With perpetrators recently being held legally accountable for their crimes, my research addresses the current representation(s) of sexual assault through a content analysis of existing news media. I found a variety of rhetoric that supports survivors, #MeToo and perpetrators accountability, with additional evidence that negatively counters those positive changes. My research is important because these findings contribute to social science literature by examining the current representation of sexual …

Exploring The Opportunity And Archievement Gap: The Capacity Of Inclusive Outdoor Adventure Programming In Alleviating Youth Educational Inequity, Sarah E. Mcdonald

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The United States education system is purported to be an equalizer for students in terms of providing education, socialization, skills, and opportunities. It is, however, rife with inequality as youth socioeconomic status is largely a predictor for future economic success. Socioeconomic status further constrains their participation in enriching supplemental activities that foster meaningful development. Through a content analysis of published research, this paper specifically examines the value of outdoor adventure programming as a supplemental educational device to that of the classroom experience, particularly for low-income youth. Findings suggest that outdoor adventure programs are associated with positive social outcomes and successful …

Resident Centered Behavioral Health: A Program Evaluation, Anna Olinger

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Behavioral health concerns, such as depression and behavioral symptoms, impact older adults at significant rates. These concerns impact an individual’s quality of life, health status, and mortality. When behavioral health concerns cannot be effectively managed in the community by the individual or their caregivers, a skilled-nursing facility is often the next step. Unfortunately, those caring for older adults in these settings have not always had access to the training they need to care for individuals with depression or behavioral symptoms. The Resident Centered Behavioral Health program set out to change this. The program implemented an interactive, behavioral health training program …

A Dozen To One: An Examination Of Workers' Satisfaction In Menial Labor, Colin Larter

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This mixed-methods study explores the workplace experiences and employee satisfaction of menial laborers. Using an anonymous online survey, this thesis examines workers’ experiences through the lens of K. Marx’s and M. Seeman’s forms of alienation. From the perspective that part of general satisfaction comes from the differences between what an employee value and what they actually perceive at their job, this study found quantitative evidence of the relationships between the need for pride in work and satisfaction. In the data analysis, satisfaction’s predictability is measure both by the perceived experiences of workers but also in the difference in those perceived …

Caregiver Knowledge And Perceptions Of Dementia-Specific Nutritional Approaches, Danielle Freitag

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Dementia is a syndrome that affects millions worldwide. The syndrome can cause great distress not only for the diagnosed individual but also for the family and friends who provide care. It is known that many caregivers for people with dementia face difficulties in planning and preparing meals, feeding, and making nutritional decisions for their loved ones. Several diets have been shown to assist with dementia-related symptoms pre and post diagnosis. However, what is unknown is whether caregivers are aware of the benefits of these diets and what the barriers are to implementing them into their nutrition regime. This study surveyed …

Understanding Resident-To-Resident Conflicts In Long Term Care Settings From The Perspective Of Administrative Staff, John F. Walker

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Assisted living facilities are expanding in response to the growing population of older adults in the United States. Assisted living facilities offer a wide array of services including memory care. Research has shown that a majority of assisted living facilities have residents with cognitive impairments living along with non-cognitively impaired individuals (i.e., mixed populations). Little is known about the conflicts that may arise between cognitively and non-cognitively impaired residents in a mixed population. The present study hoped to better understand what conflicts occur, how direct care staff are trained to handle these conflicts, from the perspective of assisted living facility …

Predicting Mental Health Counseling Professionals’ Willingness To Discuss Sexuality Issues With Clients, Becca L. Thompson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Sexuality is fundamental to the human experience and sexuality issues will affect every individual across the lifespan. Mental health counseling professionals (MHCPs) will likely encounter a client in their practice that presents with some facet of sexuality concern. MHCPs may be challenged by these disclosures or neglect to inquire about these needs due to underlying factors that contribute to decreased willingness to discuss sexuality with clients. This study explored the relationships of some of these factors, including sexual intervention self-efficacy, state anxiety, and trait anxiety, and further examined the extent to which these factors predict willingness to discuss sexuality with …

Supporting Resilience In Reserve Component Spouses During Deployment: The Impact Of Family Life Cycle Phase And Deployment History On Social Support Needs, Jennifer L. Ceminsky

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This exploratory study used a researcher developed survey to examine the relative value of instrumental, emotional, and informational support for Reserve Component spouses during deployment. Although all types of support were valued by nearly all study participants, significant differences were found between ratings of helpfulness for each type of support. Emotional support was the support type most valued by 73.1% of spouses in this study. Instrumental support was most valued by21.1%, and only 2.8% of spouses valued informational support most. Regression analyses were used to identify factors that were predictive of value placed on each type of social support. The …

Therapist Multicultural Orientation: Client Perceptions Of Cultural Humility, Sexual Identity, And The Working Alliance, Todd L. Jennings

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Research examining the benefits of cultural humility for diverse clients has increased dramatically over the last 10 years. However, little empirical research has applied therapist cultural humility to lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients. In a sample of 333 LGB persons, the current study examined whether therapist cultural humility predicted a stronger client-therapist working alliance. LGB identity centrality (IC) and identity affirmation (IA) were considered as possible moderators of this relationship. Therapist cultural humility predicted stronger working alliances in the present sample; however, this association was not moderated by IC or IA. These results suggest that therapist cultural humility is …

When Two Become One? Communal Orientations And Their Challenges Among Married Gay Men And Lesbians, Aaron Hoy

Sociology Department Publications

No abstract provided.

Painted Nails: The Gender(Ed) Performance Of Queer Sexuality, Justin Rudnick

Communication Studies Department Publications

In this essay, I interrogate my own experiences performing my queer identity through my painted nails. I attest to the ways queer bodies might performatively challenge and/or reinforce rigid norms of sexuality through mundane performances of (gendered) identity. To accomplish this, I engage in an autoethnographic exploration of queer performativity. I recount and analyze a series of anecdotes that illustrate how performances of queer identity in everyday life are accomplished—and policed—in mundane situations. In turn, I reflexively investigate the ways in which these performances situate me within a nexus of aesthetic, embodied, and ethical social interaction and performative resistance. I …

Affordable & Accessible Housing For All Minnesotans: Equitable Investment In Housing For People With Disabilities, Nabiha Ali, Jennifer Gutierrez, Monde Solomon, Natalia Marchan-Gallardo, Nancy M. Fitzsimons

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

Without ensuring that housing is also accessible, Minnesota’s efforts to increase affordable housing is leaving out a segment of our community, Minnesotan’s with disabilities. Minnesota must commit to ensuing that every man, every woman, every child in Minnesota, without exception, has a safe, affordable, dignified and ACCESSIBLE place to call home.

Supported Families Grow Healthy Children: Branching Out Services To Support Children, Families, And Communities Impacted By Punitive Practices In The Criminal Justice System, Patrick Clark, Janet Meegan, Troy Potter, Holly Schmitt, Jesse Valentin

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

The well-being of Minnesota’s children and families is negatively impacted by punitive practices. Investing in programs that divert parents from the criminal justice system ensures parental accountability while contributing to healthy children, families, and communities.

Latinx – African American Relations: Understanding The Perceptions Of Faculty, Administrators And Students In Two College Campuses, Nadarajan Sethuraju, Luis A. Posas

Sociology Department Publications

This study examines the relationship between Latinxs and African Americans in two mid-size colleges located in the southwestern region of the United States. An empirical study was conducted including students, faculty, and administrators using a survey as the main methodological technique. Guided by the group position model advocated by Herber Blumer, this study found evidence for the prevalence of intra-group associations and group competition for access to resources. In this regard, the study documents the existing perception that African Americans have better access to resources in the two college campuses which supports the zero-sum hypothesis favoring members of this group. …

Barriers To Utilizing Resources For The Dementia Caregiver, Rebecca L. M. Shanafelt

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The family caregiver of a person with dementia (PwD) provides valuable care and experiences negative health outcomes as a result. These negative health outcomes can be mitigated utilizing resources, however utilization rates remain low. While there is some research on barriers to accessing resources there is very little focused on caregivers of PwD. This study through semi-structured interviews with caregivers of PwD takes a deep look into the experience of first signs, diagnosis, and utilization of resources to better understand what those barriers might be. This study found that because of the healthcare structure caregivers do not learn about resources …