Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Use Of Improved Technology And Market-Based Incentives To Increase Forest Resource And Biodiversity Conservation In Rwanda, Kelly M. Rayens

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

This study evaluated the effectiveness of two distinct approaches to ecosystem conservation in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park: cookstove technology adoption and market-based policy instruments. A June 2014 survey of 250 households revealed that use of improved cookstove technology dramatically decreased fuelwood consumption for households in rural Rwanda, but that design, engineering and conflicting policy issues can hamper the widespread use of energy-efficient cooking technology. The second component of this research used the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) within a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) framework to explore the options for designing and implementing market-based instruments around the country’s conservation targets, particularly the highly …

Cultivating Partnerships Between Community Leaders And Service Agencies To Provide Support For Military Families, Marla C. Stillwell

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

In an effort to evaluate the social needs of military families, this study will evaluate levels of community support, its influence on military families and how military communities work to provide support for those needs through partnerships. Previous and related studies have emphasized support areas which include suggestions for building strong communities for military families, building resilience, creating partnerships and providing military families with the social support they need to stay together and function positively. Data was collected from community leaders and stakeholders specifically in Elizabethtown, Kentucky (a Fort Knox community) through open-ended interviews to assess community support and services …

Parent Development And Wellbeing During The Launching Stage Of Parenthood, Deborah F. Keys

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

At the present time, the young adult transition into adulthood has been extended, which has also extended the launching stage. One result of the extended launching stage is that parents are now involved in active parenting longer than before. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the extended launching stage in key areas (the parent- child relationship and parent support) on parental emotional wellbeing. The contribution of this research is that it adds to the limited body of knowledge about normative launching stage parenting practices and outcomes. This dissertation is a three chapter manuscript that uses …

Female Adolescent’S Experience Of Their Therapist Crying In Therapy, Kassidy Pendleton

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Therapist self-disclosure is an important topic and the literature explains that how a therapist responds to their client can greatly impact the treatment process and therapeutic alliance. One of the ways that therapists respond to their clients is through crying. Although there have been studies that conclude that the majority of therapists do in fact cry in therapy, no studies have tried to understand how this response is perceived by clients. This qualitative study aims to understand the client’s perspective and how therapists’ crying affects the treatment process and therapeutic alliance. The informants in this study were adolescent females who …

Sex, Dementia, And Long-Term Care: Public Perspectives, Erin L. Yelland

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

The current mixed methods study utilized an ecological framework to examine public perspectives toward sexual behaviors among long-term care residents with dementia. Analyzing attitudes of the public is an integral component of understanding the entire ecological system that affects the development and overall well-being of a long-term care resident. Attitudes were examined using a multiple segment factorial vignette with a probability sample of 329 respondents from a southern state. Results indicate that attitudes were not statistically affected by sex or the elapsed time since diagnosis, and age, spousal disposition, and degree of intimacy predicted attitudes. A respondent’s education level also …

Adhd Children And Mental Health Service Use: Maternal Determinants, Katarina Krizova

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

The current study investigated maternal determinants of mental health service use, namely, individual child therapy, among preadolescent children diagnosed with ADHD. The Behavioral Model of Health Care Utilization (Andersen, 2008) was used as a theoretical framework for the study. Data from the last three rounds of ECLS-K dataset were employed to test a longitudinal model using Bayesian analysis. Socio-demographic variables and maternal mental health were tested as exogenous variables and mother-child relationship variables, discipline variables, and perceived maternal concern about child’s overall behavior and child’s emotional symptoms were tested as intervening variables. Results showed that only maternal mental health remained …

Mental Health Among Suicide Attempt Survivors: The Roles Of Stigma, Self-Disclosure, And Family Reactions, Laura M. Frey

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Although research has shown that mental-health stigma can impact an individual’s well-being, little is known about who perpetrates suicide stigma. Moreover, anticipation of stigma could impact whether individuals disclose their suicidal experiences; yet, little is known about suicide disclosure and how family members’ reactions play a role in subsequent mental health. To address these gaps, three studies were designed to examine how stigma, suicide disclosure, and family reaction impact subsequent mental health of attempt survivors and those who have experience suicidal ideation.

Individuals who had previously experienced suicidal ideation or a previous suicide attempt (n = 156) were recruited …

Adult Adoptee Coping And Resolution Of Adoption Related Ambiguous Losses, Katherine H. Jury

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Ambiguous loss refers to a loss that is unknown or undefined, making it difficult to cope with and resolve. Using a life course perspective that asserts that humans have agency to affect change in their own lives, this study focuses on an adoptee’s perceived ability to enact change in the situation surrounding the ambiguous loss that they may have experienced as a result of their adoption. Life course perspective also incorporates the concept of life trajectories, which explain how an early life experience can affect an individual over the course of his or her life. This study describes the essence …

The Impact Of Video Chatting On Idealization And Disillusionment For Long Distance Dating Couples, Laura Kusisto

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Previous research indicates a high rate of long distance relationships, especially among young adults. Yet, research in this area is lacking, particularly regarding the role of video chatting. Through the lens of the media richness theory and the hyperpersonal model, this qualitative study explores how video chatting impacts idealization and disillusionment in young adults’ long distance dating relationships. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with both partners of six heterosexual couples. Data was analyzed using the constant comparative approach and following the basic framework of open, axial, and selective coding used in grounded theory research. Results indicate that video chatting …

Exploring The Therapeutic Alliance With Adolescents And Their Caregivers: A Qualitative Approach, Jillian M. Hawks

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

The therapeutic alliance is largely recognized as an important component of the therapeutic process. For clients of all ages, the therapeutic alliance has been associated with positive outcomes and increased engagement in therapy (Bachelor, 2013; Bhola, & Kapur, 2013; Liber et al., 2010). However, very few studies have explored the complex process of fostering the therapeutic alliance with adolescent clients, while also maintaining a positive therapeutic relationship with the adolescent’s caregivers. The present study attempted to fill the gap in the literature through qualitatively exploring therapists’ perspectives of the therapeutic alliance with adolescents and their caregivers.

In order to discover …

Understanding The Pathways To Youth Involvement In The Juvenile Justice System: A Longitudinal Investigation Of Poor, Inner-City African American Adolescents, Charlene Harris

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

It is widely recognized that African American youth are disproportionately represented in the juvenile justice system in comparison to other ethnic/racial groups, and this has generated a large body of research into the etiology and prevention of crime in this population. Although there has been considerable research attention to identifying and reducing the disproportionate contact among African American youth within the juvenile justice system, it is still unclear what factors contribute to their involvement in the criminal justice system. Accordingly, the dissertation tests whether self-reports of behaviors in early adolescence are predictive official offending behaviors in late adolescence, as measured …

Living On The Edge: Rethinking Pueblo Period: (Ad 700 – Ad 1225) Indigenous Settlement Patterns Within Grand Canyon National Park, Northern Arizona, Philip B. Mink Ii

Theses and Dissertations--Anthropology

This dissertation challenges traditional interpretations that indigenous groups who settled the Grand Canyon during the Pueblo Period (AD 700 -1225) relied heavily on maize to meet their subsistence needs. Instead they are viewed as dynamic ecosystem engineers who employed fire and natural plant succession to engage in a wild plant subsistence strategy that was supplemented to varying degrees by maize. By examining the relationship between archaeological sites and the natural environment throughout the Canyon, new settlement pattern models were developed. These models attempt to account for the spatial distribution of Virgin people, as represented by Virgin Gray Ware ceramics, Kayenta …

A Study Of Determinants Of The Birthrate Change In South Korea, Kyunghoon Ahn

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

South Korea has experienced a sharp demographic transition from a high birthrate of 4.5 children per woman in the 1970s to a low birthrate of around 1.19 in 2013. A low birthrate can lead to big problems for South Korean society.

In response to such a low birthrate, the South Korean government introduced policies to increase the birthrate, such as providing subsidies for daycare costs and the supply of daycare facilities. The South Korean government has spent heavily on these programs. However, the birthrate stays very low. Also, other social and economic factors could affect the birthrate.

Therefore, I studied …

The Role Of Administrative Procedures In Preventing The Backlog Of Sexual Assault Evidence Kits, Heather Darby

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Across the nation, states are facing a large backlog of sexual assault evidence kits. Sexual assault evidence often sits in a police department or hospital for years without being tested. Public safety is diminished as criminal DNA is not tested and entered into CODIS. Victims have no sense of justice, and may lose confidence in the system. Without attention to the issue, the backlog will only continue to grow. As states have developed innovative and effective methods for addressing the backlog, their successes and failures have served as a base for others who are considering changes to avoid future backlogs. …

Need And Cost Assessment: Transplant House Of Lexington, David Freeman

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Introduction

The University of Kentucky Healthcare administration is currently considering the creation and organizational structure of a transplant house. A transplant house would operate in a manner similar to the Ronald McDonald House, meaning that it would house caregivers and patients who have been accepted into the UK transplant program. The questions that this paper sought to answer were whether a transplant focused hospitality house would be cost effective and whether there is sufficient demand to justify offering the service.

Hospitality House Organizational Structure

Two academic studies discussing the impact and setup of a hospitality house are discussed, as well …

Early Voting Methods And The Impact On Voter Turnout, Courtney Harris

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

In 2004, over 27 million Americans voted prior to Election Day through early voting policies that exist in the United States. One of the most discussed questions is whether early voting has an effect on voter turnout.

In this analysis, I will review the voter turnout of states during the 2008 and 2010 election years. By executing this analysis, I hope to determine if these policies affect voter turnout. The implications of this analysis are useful for informing state decisions regarding voting procedures and can assist the other states in determining if these polices, and similar methods in the future, …

Did Beijing's Vehicle Use Restriction Policy Reduce Smog In 2014? A Time Series Analysis Using Chinese Government And Us Embassy Data, Ning Li

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Objective:

The analysis in this paper is designed to find out whether the vehicle use restriction policy issued by Beijing Municipal Government contributed to a change of air quality in 2014. I analyze both Chinese data and data collected by the U.S. Embassy in Beijing in order to determine whether the type of data used makes a difference to the findings.

Method:

I conduct a regression analysis with time series data. The analysis unit is the day. The main independent variable is the holiday schedule during 2014 that determined whether the restriction policy was in place or not. There are …

Analyzing Charges And Payments Received For Discharged Patients At Teaching Hospitals In Relation To Patient Satisfaction And Overall Medicare Charges, Rob Sutter

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The affordability of healthcare is a major, recurring topic in the media. One of President Obama’s cornerstone policies has been the attempt to make health care affordable. Part of the concern lies in cost differences for similar procedures. The cost for a standardized procedure such as abnormal cardiac dysrhythmia without complication varies greatly between hospitals. The cost difference of a patient getting treated for such an event can be an average of $30,000 depending on which hospital you go to. There is no immediately apparent reason for such a large difference. Another noticeable item is that all the hospitals receive …

Transgender Individuals' Social Support Experiences In Central Appalachia, Angela J. Aaron

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The majority of empirical studies in transgender psychology have focused on the negative experiences of urban transgender individuals (Grossman & D’Augelli, 2007; Koken, Bimbi, & Parsons, 2009; Melendez & Pinto, 2007; Singh & McKleroy, 2011; Strain & Shuff, 2010; Xavier, Bobbin, Singer, & Budd, 2005). Less is known about the experiences of rural transgender individuals (Fassinger & Arseneau, 2007; Grossman, 2008) especially in Central Appalachia (Gray, 2009). The purpose of this study was to examine transgender individuals’ perceptions of social support in Central Appalachia. Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological model framed the analysis of social support experiences within the culture of Central …

Examining Memory Consolidation And Reconsolidation In An Appetitive Pavlovian Task, Jonathan J. Chow

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Memory plays an important role in defining how one behaves. The neurobiological mechanisms of memory have been studied extensively in animal models and the NMDA glutamate receptor has been identified to play an important role in the consolidation and reconsolidation of appetitive memories. Certain memories, depending on what was learned, can function differently and can be more difficult to disrupt based on a number of factors. Currently, no study has examined whether or not a reward-predictive stimulus attributed with incentive value is more difficult to disrupt than a stimulus that functions as a general reward-predictor. To determine the role of …

Effect Of Environmental Enrichment On Dopamine And Serotonin Transporters And Glutamate Neurotransmission In Medial Prefrontal And Orbitofrontal Cortex, Mahesh Darna, Joshua S. Beckmann, Cassandra D. Gipson, Michael T. Bardo, Linda P. Dwoskin

Psychology Faculty Publications

Recent studies have reported that rats raised in an enriched condition (EC) have decreased dopamine transporter (DAT) function and expression in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), as well as increased d-amphetamine-induced glutamate release in nucleus accumbens compared to rats raised in an isolated condition (IC). In these previous studies, DAT function and expression were evaluated using mPFC pooled from four rats for each condition to obtain kinetic parameters due to sparse DAT expression in mPFC. In contrast, accumbal glutamate release was determined using individual rats. The current study extends the previous work and reports on the optimization of DAT and serotonin …

Pharmacological Manipulation Of Glucocorticoid Receptors Differentially Affects Cocaine Self-Administration In Environmentally Enriched And Isolated Rats, Rebecca S. Hofford, Mark A. Prendergast, Michael T. Bardo

Psychology Faculty Publications

Social isolation rearing (isolated condition, IC) is used as a model of early life stress in rodents. Rats raised in this condition are often compared to rats raised in an environmentally enriched condition (EC). However, EC rats are repeatedly exposed to forced novelty, another classic stressor in rodents. These studies explored the relationship between cocaine self-administration and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activation and measured total levels of GR protein in reward-related brain regions (medial prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, amygdala) in rats chronically exposed to these conditions. For Experiment 1, rats were housed in EC or IC and were then …

Role Of Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors In Delay And Probability Discounting In The Rat, Justin R. Yates, Seth R. Batten, Michael T. Bardo, Joshua S. Beckmann

Psychology Faculty Publications

Rationale Discounting of delayed and probabilistic reinforcement is linked to increased drug use and pathological gambling. Understanding the neurobiology of discounting is important for designing treatments for these disorders. Glutamate is considered to be involved in addiction-like behaviors; however, the role of ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) in discounting remains unclear.

Objectives The current study examined the effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) glutamate receptor blockade on performance in delay and probability discounting tasks.

Methods Following training in either delay or probability discounting, rats (n=12, each task) received pretreatments of the NMDA receptor antagonists MK-801 (0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.1, …

Role Of Serotonin Transporter Function In Rat Orbitofrontal Cortex In Impulsive Choice, Mahesh Darna, Jonathan J. Chow, Justin R. Yates, Richard J. Charnigo, Joshua S. Beckmann, Michael T. Bardo, Linda P. Dwoskin

Psychology Faculty Publications

Impulsivity is a multi-faceted personality construct that plays a prominent role in drug abuse vulnerability. Dysregulation of 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin, 5-HT) systems in subregions of the prefrontal cortex has been implicated in impulsivity. Extracellular 5-HT concentrations are regulated by 5-HT transporters (SERTs), indicating that these transporters may be important molecular targets underlying individual differences in impulsivity and drug abuse vulnerability. The present study evaluated the role of SERT in mediating individual differences in impulsivity. Rats were tested for both impulsive action using the cued go/no-go task and for impulsive choice using a delay discounting task in a counterbalanced design. Following behavioral …

Designing For Dissemination: Lessons In Message Design From "1-2-3 Pap", Elisia L. Cohen, Katharine J. Head, Margaret J. Mcgladrey, Anna G. Hoover, Robin C. Vanderpool, Colleen Bridger, Angela Carman, Richard A. Crosby, Elaine Darling, Mary Tucker-Mclaughlin, Nancy Winterbauer

Communication Faculty Publications

Despite a large number of evidence-based health communication interventions tested in private, public, and community health settings, there is a dearth of research on successful secondary dissemination of these interventions to other audiences. This article presents the case study of "1-2-3 Pap," a health communication intervention to improve human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake and Pap testing outcomes in Eastern Kentucky, and explores strategies used to disseminate this intervention to other populations in Kentucky, North Carolina, and West Virginia. Through this dissemination project, we identified several health communication intervention design considerations that facilitated our successful dissemination to these other audiences; these …

An Analysis Of Tools For Online Anonymity, Stephanie Winkler, Sherali Zeadally

Information Science Faculty Publications

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the possible explanations for the slow adoption and development of online anonymity technology. The ability to remain anonymous while engaging in different activities, online is increasingly sought after by consumers with privacy concerns. Currently, the only way to maintain online anonymity is through the use of technology. This paper reviews and analyzes the tools currently available to consumers to maintain online anonymity. There are only four tools available to consumers to ensure online anonymity: anonymous remailers, rewebbers, The Onion Router (Tor) and the Invisible Internet Project (I2P). These tools provide the …

Syphilis: The Forgotten Sexually Transmitted Disease. A Brief Case Report, Amy Burnett, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Syphilis has declined significantly over the last 30 years. Due to that success, many physicians no longer have the skills to recognize its symptoms. We present a case of syphilis as a demonstration of this fact.

Using Commercially Available Picture Activity Schedules And System Of Least Prompts To Teach Lego Assembly, Lauren A. Sherrow

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This study investigated effects of commercially available picture activity schedules (PAS) and system of least prompts (SLP) to teach recreation skills to four high school students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and intellectual disabilities using Lego sets. Results were evaluated through a multiple probe across participants design and indicate that a combination of PAS and SLP was effective for teaching the students to build Lego sets. All students improved their ability to build and were able to generalize the skill to novel sets after the completion of intervention. Limitations and implications for future practioners are discussed.

"I See Their Purpose": Looking At The Role Of Family Advocates In Partnering With Families And Advocating For Children In Guatemala City, Sierra K. Leonard

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this study was to get an in-depth, complete picture of a social worker and child/family advocate in Guatemala City, Guatemala. The intent was to study the participant’s work and responsibilities in order to examine how she processed and completed her dual role as social worker/advocate and mother to a group of children in a children’s home. A focus on responsibility, the effect of her dual role, and the influence of her personal and religious convictions emerged throughout the study. The participant’s unique position in a dual role offered insight into the various aspects of advocacy and intervention …

Water Quality Trading From The Point Source Perspective: Willingness To Pay For Abatement Credits And Preferences For Water Quality Trading Market Mechanism, Andrew Mclaughlin

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

As part of the EPA’s initiative to reduce the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico, a feasibility study for a potential water quality trading (WQT) program in the Kentucky River Watershed (KRW) was conducted. While theoretically, emission trading programs are among the most efficient means of reducing pollution, empirical evidence suggests low-trade volume as a primary concern for the long-term success of such programs. Some of the important reasons for the low volume of trade are due to lack of suitable market trading mechanism for point sources and lack of information on willingness to pay (WTP) for abatement credits. …