Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Presidential Nomination Forecasting 2024: Classic Components In An Atypical Race, Sophia Coco

Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The topic of American presidential elections has remained central to political discussions since the founding fathers drafted the Constitution. Article Two, Section One of the Constitution lays out the guidelines for presidential elections, yet Article Two neglects to mention the process of how to nominate candidates for the presidential race. Lacking Constitutional guidance, early presidential nomination conventions of the parties in the 19^th century and early 20^th century did not reflect ideals of democracy. The delegates that voted at the conventions were selected by party insiders and their votes reflected the sentiments of the party bosses, disregarding the …

Ai-Ing The Future: An Analysis Of Past Treaty Features In Regulating Innovative Technologies, Sophia Tammera

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the relationship between the specific features written into multilateral treaties and their success in regulating innovative technologies. It explores why detailed treaty provisions such as periodic reviews, trigger mechanisms, amendment provisions, and knowledge sharing are critical to the effectiveness of these international agreements. I argue that the presence of these features contributes significantly to a treaty's ability to adapt to changing circumstances, ensure transparency, and facilitate ongoing cooperation and collaboration among signatories. To test this claim, I completed an in-depth case study analysis of technologies like railroads, telegraphs, electricity, and nuclear weapons. The findings indicate that treaties …

Collective Memory And Place Attachment Expressed As Communicative Constitution Of Community, Amy Jo Ellefson

Dissertations

Twenty-six residents of Ralston, Nebraska recorded oral histories for use in the city library’s 100-year anniversary celebration. The recordings build a limited history of the city and expose residents’ collective memories as a conduit to place attachment in a changing community. By positioning the City of Ralston as an organization using the Four Flows approach to the communicative constitution of organization [CCO], I examined communication by members of the organization as maintaining the city. Qualitative coding of the city’s Facebook page and narrative analysis of the oral history recordings produced identifiable categories related to collective memory, place attachment, and the …

Major Factors Of Sustaining Recovery After Relapse From A Substance Use Disorder, Amanda Tei Sandhurst

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Relapse is a common and often-expected occurrence among individuals with substance use disorders. Relapse can be defined as returning to a problematic behavior after abstaining for a period of time (Marlatt & Witkiewitz, 2005). It is the inability to maintain life in sobriety and is not an isolated event, but rather a process (Gorski & Kelley, 1996). The problem with relapse is that it can result in continued substance use and abuse, which can then lead to other major consequences. This study looks at ten individuals in recovery who experienced a past relapse after having a period of abstinence and …

Progression Of Black Women In Tenure Ranked Positions, Unique Givens

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The intersectionality of race and gender affects the progression and experience of Black women in tenure-ranked positions in higher education. As Black women navigate the tenure process, they encounter systemic issues while fulfilling the criteria of teaching, service, and research. Black women's experiences while obtaining and maintaining tenure-ranked positions in Southern California reflect the discrimination, biases, lack of respect, and value of their roles and contributions to academia. In addition, Black women are being challenged more and questioned regarding their abilities and roles by peers, students, and academic administration. Research studies in the past have demonstrated the underrepresentation of Black …

Understanding The Perspectives And Attitudes Of 12-Step Participants Towards Medication-Assisted Treatment, Christopher Scott

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: The effects of living with a substance use disorder (SUD) are vast. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) has grown increasingly popular as a recovery tool among substance users but does not align with the popular 12-step model, which demands complete abstinence from narcotics and mind-altering substances. Objective: The primary aim of this phenomenology study was to explore the perspectives and attitudes towards MAT among 12-step participants. The secondary aim was to compare the responses of treatment and non-treatment professionals. Methods: This study used non-probability sampling methods to recruit participants who reported regular participation in a 12-step program. Semi-structured …

Accessibility Of Services For Transgender Adolescents From A Child Welfare Perspective, Eduardo Cedeno

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The following is a quantitative study with an explorative element conducted at Southern California University with a convenience sample of 23 social worker participants with experience in child welfare. A Qualtrics questionnaire was administered during the Fall 2023 semester and was used to assess the social workers perception, preparedness, and knowledge in providing services to transgender youth in foster care. The study aimed to gain an understanding of the overall perception of the effect in available transgender resources and training within the child welfare system.

Archaeological Perspectives On Human-Horse Dynamics: Reexamination And Analysis Of The Ca-Sbr-2110 Collection, Gabrielle Nicole Carpentier

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In this thesis, I analyzed the CA-SBr-2110 collection which contains a human and a horse skeleton. The collection was excavated in 1965 from Yermo, California and is currently housed at San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands, California. This research explores human-horse relationships in an archaeological context. The human skeleton was not analyzed in this research due to unknown cultural affiliation and sensitivity towards potential indigeneity. My research examines the horse remains within this collection and utilizes radiocarbon dating on three samples. Dating two samples from the horse provided approximate dates of 1829–1900 cal AD and 1798–1942 cal AD while dating …

Educational Outcomes For Youth That Participated In Extended Foster Care: A Systematic Review, Kassandra Mayorga, Roxana Sanchez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Transitioning to adulthood poses significant obstacles for foster youth adults, who encounter disproportionately elevated rates of homelessness, school underperformance, unemployment, and mental health concerns in comparison to their peers. Extended Foster Care (EFC) programs seek to tackle these difficulties by offering assistance in housing, employment, and education. However, there have been few systematic efforts to review the effectiveness of the EFC program. Objective: The purpose of this systematic review was to identify, evaluate, and synthesize the empirical evidence on the educational outcomes of foster youth who have participated in EFC. Methods: This review was conducted during …

Investigating The Level Of Evidence Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Parenting Practices: A Systematic Review, Eloisa Deshazer

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with mental and physical health outcomes of children, but less is known about how ACEs impact parenting. Objective: This study systematically reviewed the evidence of the association between parental adverse childhood experiences and parenting behaviors. Methods: The study employed a rigorous methodology, including searching several electronic databases, such as the CSUSB search engine, EBSCOhost Academic Search Premiere, PsycINFO, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. The keywords used for the search process included Adverse Childhood Experiences, ACEs, Maltreatment, Adverse Experiences, Traumatic Experiences, and Parenting or Childrearing. Inclusion criteria were restricted to studies published between 2014 and …

Mental Health Treatment Help Seeking Attitudes And Behaviors Among Latinx Community, Nancy Vieyra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study focused on determining if there were differences between Latinx subgroups regarding their help seeking attitudes and behaviors for mental health services. It also identifies if the COVID-19 pandemic had any effect on the mental health help-seeking attitudes and behaviors. The study sample was gathered utilizing fliers on campus at CSUSB and via social media, and utilized a survey distributed via Qualtrics. There were 3 Latinx subgroups represented in the study, which were: Mexican, Salvadoran and Biracial/Other. This study did not find any differences between the Latinx subgroups and their attitudes or behaviors towards mental health help seeking. Participants …

Students Of Higher Education Receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program And Its Impact On Mental Health, Cristina Palacios Mosqueda

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this research study was the impact of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on the mental health, specifically anxiety and depression, of students pursuing higher education. The study analyzed if food security from receiving SNAP benefits relieved mental illnesses for students pursuing higher education. This study utilized a post-positivist paradigm. The data was obtained through qualitative methods, including 14 audio interviews and verbal observations of current undergraduate and graduate students from Southern California. At the time that the research interviews were conducted, the students participated in the student and discussed their experiences of dealing with mental health symptoms …

“Barbie Is As Much About Fashion As She Is About Culture And Empowerment”: Feminism In Barbie The Movie And Its Postfeminist Marketing, Brooke Ashley Shepherd

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The Barbie movie has been celebrated by fans for its feminist narrative. Although the film garnered appreciation from fans across the world, my thesis illustrates that it ultimately serves as a vehicle to promote a product, leading to question its feminist narrative. This mixed method study, which combines feminist textual analysis and feminist political economy analysis, investigates feminism and postfeminism within the Barbie movie and the marketing for the movie. The feminist textual analysis identified both feminist and postfeminist ideologies that are present within the film. The feminist political economy analysis identified the marketing for the Barbie movie as postfeminist. …

Commercially Sexually Exploited Children Targeted Within Social Services, Britny Ragland

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study used a survey to describe social workers’ and MSW students’ level of preparedness in identifying and providing prevention and intervention for commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC). The purpose of this study was to evaluate perceptions of social workers and social work students have the necessary skills, knowledge, and training to identify, and provide intervention for Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC). Data was collected from thirty-five participants. Findings were that there appears to be no significance between the level of skills, knowledge and training among social workers and social work students in their ability to provide intervention for commercially …

The Effects Of Parenting Styles On Communication Among Asian American Young Adults, Abigail Camarce

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between parenting styles and communication difficulties. Previous studies explored different types of parenting styles and their impact on both mental health and child behavior outcomes. However, the relationship between these styles and communication challenges has largely remained underexplored. This study aimed to fill this void by examining data collected from Asian American (AA) young adults aged 18 to 30, shedding light on how various parenting approaches influence communication difficulties in their families. Method: Quantitative data for this study was gathered through Qualtrics from participants meeting the criteria of AA aged 18 to 30, who …

Non-Binary Identity Within Competency Training For Mental/Behavioral Health Providers: A Systematic Review, Alexis Mcintyre

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project aimed to identify the level of inclusion of the identity “non-binary” within LGBTQ+ competency training for mental/behavioral health service. Non-binary has become more widely used within the last decade as LGBTQ+ identifications evolve and become more open. Existing research shows the need for mental/behavioral health services within this community, as well as the biases and misinformation that providers hold about gender identity. This study utilized a systematic review of peer-reviewed articles discussing research on conducting LGBTQ+ competency training for staff providing mental/behavioral health services to look for education on non-binary identity.

Databases searched were Social Work Abstracts, …

Truck Traffic Analysis In The Inland Empire, Bhavik Khatri

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study undertakes a meticulous examination of truck traffic within the Inland Empire, focusing on the distribution and dynamics of medium and heavy-duty vehicles, to advocate for the region's transition to electric trucks. Utilizing advanced spatial analysis and data from Streetlight Data, it segments the region into six subregions, revealing distinct traffic patterns and environmental impacts. Notably, the research uncovers that the North Center and West zones, integral to the logistics and warehousing sectors, exhibit the highest traffic volumes, significantly influencing air quality and infrastructure.

Quantitative results from 2021 illustrate a pronounced disparity in truck activity: medium-weight vehicles accounted for …

Investigating The Potential Of Augmented Reality In Creating A Sense Of Place On College Campuses, Linda White

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This project examines how designing an augmented reality (AR) campus navigation app can improve college students' sense of place and connection with California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). To guide the design of the app, I engaged in qualitative research using a curated campus walk protocol that invited students to walk to their favorite place on campus and record their walk while narrating it.

My analysis reveals the larger patterns that students use to select favorite places and favorite routes to those places, as well as how space navigation may lead to the formation of a sense of connection with …

Where The Ancestors Sleep: Radiocarbon Dating Of Bioapatite From La Consentida, Oaxaca, Robert Mitchell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study aims to refine the chronology of the burial sequence at the Early Formative Period (2000–1000 BCE) site of La Consentida in Oaxaca, Mexico. Previously, the chronology of mortuary spaces at La Consentida was supported by nine radiocarbon dates (2020–1510 cal BCE) from secure contexts, including charcoal, carbonized material from pottery, and two human bone samples processed together using R_combine to establish a single direct date for human remains at the site. This thesis study dated bioapatite from nine sets of adult human remains found in the two known mortuary contexts at La Consentida and two carbon-rich sediment samples …

Self-Care Habits And Burnout Among County Social Workers On The Central Coast Of California, Jaclyn Boyd, Denise Ojeda

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Burnout, stress, and retention challenges have become pervasive issues among social workers in Child Welfare Services. The experience of stress and burnout can profoundly impact a worker's physical health and overall well-being. Implementing self-care practices, which involve attending to one's health and well-being through activities such as exercise, spiritual engagement, and hobbies, can effectively mitigate feelings of stress and burnout, fostering a positive impact on individuals. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between reported stress levels and self-care habits among Child Welfare Services social workers in two counties on California's central coast. To gather relevant data, …

Through The Lens Of Families And Staff In Emergency Shelters, Elizabeth Barcenas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research study explored the effectiveness that emergency shelters have on families transitioning into stable housing by gathering the perspectives of a former client and a staff member from a shelter in Riverside County. This research study utilized a qualitative approach, interviewing participants one-on-one from the shelter with open-ended questions. The themes that emerged during the study were the perspectives of the shelter, the barriers and challenges families face, and the services and support received within the shelter.

The study provides insight into the shelter, the challenges families face, the services offered, what’s working, and areas for improvement through the …

Covid-19, Social Isolation, And Msw Students’ Mental Health, Cassandra Barajas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

New literature has found that the COVID-19 pandemic has grown the prevalence of anxiety and depression amongst college students (University Communications, 2021). The purpose of this research study was to further explore how the sudden restrictions and isolation protocols enforced and caused by the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health symptoms amongst MSW students. The study sample consisted of social work students who were 18 years old or older and who were enrolled in a Master of Social Work Program at some point in time during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

This study was conducted using a post-positivism approach and by …

Challenges Veterans Encounter Receiving Or Seeking Mental Health Services, Denise D. Contreras, Andrea Ramirez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The goal of this research was to identify the challenges U.S. Veterans faced when accessing mental health services within the Veterans Affairs (V.A.) Healthcare System. The V.A. serves approximately six million U.S. military veterans annually and is considered a leader in providing high-quality care in the USA. Despite the V.A.'s efforts to improve its patient care system, many veterans do not seek treatment or follow through with mental health services. The study found that participants had difficulty getting appointments with V.A. mental health services. When they did, the appointments were usually convenient and took place as scheduled. While some participants …

Art Therapy For Bereaved Siblings After Pediatric Cancer Death, Daniela Ramirez-Ibarra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Children and adolescents whose siblings die due to pediatric cancer are at an increased risk for several mental health issues and high risky behavior engagement. There is currently very little literature on the topic of a sibling’s grief despite its potentially critical and persisting consequences. Through qualitative research in analyzing art projects made by bereaved siblings, this is an exploratory study of how an art program may help bereaved or grieving children access their feelings using a non verbal modality of expression. The research study was conducted at a community-based non-profit organization which focuses on supporting families of children with …

Protestant Church Workers' Knowledge Of Child Abuse Reporting And Reporting Behavior, Rachel Juedes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Child abuse is a prevalent problem on many levels. Mandated reporting laws exist to promote earlier intervention. Studies have shown that mandated reporters are more likely to report if they receive effective training. Protestant church workers interact with many children and need to have enough knowledge to detect and report child abuse. This study utilized a quantitative online survey to answer the question: What are Protestant clergy and church workers’ knowledge about child abuse reporting? Child abuse reporting knowledge was measured in categories of victimization, detection, and reporting. A convenience sample was obtained from attendees at a church conference. Correlational …

Gestalt Language Processing In Accredited Communication Sciences And Disorders Programs, William Harris

Master's Theses

The language development and usage of autistic individuals has become a controversial topic in many of the disciplines and professions providing support to these individuals. As a result, two theories of language processing have been proposed. Analytical language processing suggests that children process and develop language from its most simple form, a phoneme, to its most complex form, a word or phrase. However, the theory of gestalt language processing proposes that some children may instead extract larger, more complex language such as whole words and phrases first and break it down to the simpler language. Gestalt language processing is often …

The Emerging Impacts Of Tourism On The Economy Of The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia: A Comparative Study Of Oil And Tourism, Dania Abu Jabal

Master's Theses

Saudi Arabia was heavily dependent on oil, which caused an economic crisis due to the collapse of global oil prices. In 2016, the Saudi government launched Vision 2030 to diversify the Saudi economy and avoid dependence on oil revenues. One aim of Vision 2030 is to initiate numerous tourism initiatives to boost the tourism industry's economic impact, elevating its contribution from 3% of GDP to 10% by 2030.

This paper provides the necessary assessment to understand tourism's role and contribution to the Saudi economy and to determine whether the industry's growth is on the right track. Also, this paper also …

Organizational Cultural Entrenchment: Exploring Cultural Antecedents Of Actively Destructive Employee Behaviors As A Manifestation Of Voice In Mergers And Acquisitions, Keith Dellano Holloway

Theses and Dissertations

Mergers and acquisitions are frequently leveraged as a vehicle for company growth. However, many of these transactions fail to yield a positive result and often cause a net loss of shareholder value.

There are many interrelated factors at work within a merger or acquisition. Structure, leadership, finances, strategic fit, market, and price are just a few variables to consider. However, the factor of culture, and the failure of cultural integration, has surfaced in literature as a significant contributor to losses within mergers and acquisitions.

This study built on the work of Harris, Hirschman, Kotter, and Schlesinger and examined the deleterious …

The Association Between Emotional Intelligence, Empathy, And Social Determinants Of Health Among Accelerated Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Students: A Multi-State Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study, Kwanza Thomas

Dissertations

This study investigated the association between emotional intelligence (managing and understanding), empathy, and social determinants of health (SDOH) among accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) students. Despite the exponential increase in ABSN programs in the United States, little is known about the association between these variables among this nursing student population. A cross-sectional, correlational descriptive design was used to survey 104 students completing ABSN programs in Georgia, Mississippi, Philadelphia, and Texas. Participants self-reported their socioeconomic and programmatic characteristics using a researcher-developed questionnaire. Emotional intelligence (managing and understanding) was measured using two instruments, including the Situational Test of Emotional Management …

The Role Of Self In Self-Control Dilemmas: Self-Concept, Conflict, And Self-Conscious Emotions, Jasmina (Mina) Milosevic

Theses and Dissertations

Self-control dilemmas, typically defined as an internal conflict between short-term allurements and long-term goals, are a common feature of everyday life. How such dilemmas are handled is often viewed as a measure of one’s self-control, thus carrying significant implications for an individual. Despite a large body of research that has been amassed on this topic, a complete picture of how self-control dilemmas are processed and resolved still eludes us. In the present research, we bring attention to a largely unexplored aspect of self-control, the role of self-concept in shaping self-control efforts. We combined surveys, hypothetical scenarios, and experience sampling data …