Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Korean Government’S Industrial R&D Expenditure On Technological Competitiveness, Hyunok Kim

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

In Korea, the total amount of R&D executed by the Korean government in 2019 was $16 billion. The Compound Annual Growth Rate of Korean government R&D budget is 5.04% (2010~2019). This paper studies whether the Korean government's R&D expenditure effectively achieves its purpose. Assuming the purpose of government R&D expenditure is set as science and technology competitiveness based on related laws and the indicator is identified as the technology balance of payments (TBP), this study estimates the statistical correlation between government R&D expenditure and TBP. Since the characteristic of government R&D expenditure is different for each field, the correlation by …

Comparative Demographic And Geographic Analysis Of Civic Participation In Lexington, Kentucky, Grant Long

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

What are the underlying motivations which may have an effect on voter turnout in Lexington? In June 2020 the nonprofit organization CivicLex conducted a round of online surveys of Lexington residents in order to gauge how to increase levels of civic knowledge and civic participation in Lexington. This project utilized this survey data, Census data, and 2020 election data to study the effects of age, engagement and trust in Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, familiarity with their District Councilmember, and education on city council and presidential turnout. I created scatterplots to see if there are any correlations between these variables and …

A Study Of The Improvement Of Weighting Scheme Using Administrative Data In A Panel Data, Sanggi Lee

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

This paper contains a problem that has been studied a lot in the household panel survey, that is, the contents of how to give initial weights to non-sample household members when they enter the sample household. In order to assign an initial weight to an object, information on its sampling probability is required, but it is difficult to obtain the first wave information for non-sampled household members. So, as a solution to this, the shared weights method and modeling method were studied and applied to the actual major household panel surveys. However, the data used in this paper is a …

Broadband Development In Lexington: A Study Of Access And Equity, Alex Sergent

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Broadband equity is at the forefront of today’s issues. Those that have the ability to access the internet regularly from home are given an opportunity to participate in countless social, work, and learning opportunities that those without access must forgo. It is difficult to determine where broadband infrastructure fails. Through this study of Lexington-Fayette Urban County, it was found that connection within Urban Service Boundaries is on par with national goals, while rural areas are left out. This paper contains a descriptive analysis of the overall broadband access equity of Lexington-Fayette county.

Defunding The Police: True Police Reform Or Just Political Smoke And Mirrors? A Look At The City Of Camden, New Jersey And Its Approach To Police Reform, Anitra Austin

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The summer of 2020 brought police brutality to the forefront of society. The deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd at the hands of police officers ignited a firestorm of social justice movements. Black Lives Matter and other social justice organizations were calling for cities around the country to defund their police departments as a strategy for police reform. This strategy was largely unprecedented, and highly controversial. There was a lack of understanding of what defunding the police actually meant, as it seemed to mean different things to different people. The subtle suggestions of defunding the police quickly turned to …

Sunset Provisions In The Local Tax Code: Best Practices, Sara Deuster

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The primary objective of this research project is to identify the main uses of the sunset provision as it relates to the local tax code. This research project utilizes a case study approach to collect and analyze sunset tax legislation from five municipalities. Capital project funding is found to be the primary use of taxes with a sunset provision. Other uses associated with sunset taxation include transportation infrastructure, capital funding, bond financing, and public safety. Through the analysis process for this research project, five best practices were developed to guide municipalities who engage in sunset taxation with respect to their …

An Analysis Of Krs 123.487 And The Motor Vehicle Tax Rates Levied Among Special Districts In Kentucky, Beth Atkinson

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Kentucky Revised Statute 132.487 sets forth limitations on the motor vehicle tax rate, which can be levied by the state, counties, cities, and special taxing districts. According to the statute, the rate is formulated on a January 1, 1983 date without exception. However, a lack of oversight and understanding of KRS 132.487 has created problems among counties, cities, and special districts in Kentucky. In some cases, this has led to the adoption of tax rates which violate the statute and should be investigated and addressed by the legislature. This research suggests that non-compliance with KRS 132.487 is more prevalent among …

Merged Government: Is This An Option For Bowling Green And Warren County, Ky Governments?, Alice Williams

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

In recent history, the most common attempt at reorganization of government in a metropolitan area is the city-county consolidation model. With limited government resources, elected officials along with community members look to this model to make the best use of those resources. “Applied to local government, the term ‘‘consolidation’’ is generally understood to mean the structural merging of two or more governments into one. When a city and county consolidate, a new and different form of local government is created that has elements of both city and county government but is neither.” (Martin, 2011) There are both benefits and problems …

Kentucky’S K-12 Public School Spending And Its Relationship To Enrollment Percentages Of Students With Limited English Proficiency And Students Eligible For The Free And Reduced-Price Lunch Program, Christine Tarne

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Public school funding formulas vary broadly between states in both the levels of funding and the mechanisms through which funding is distributed. Most states provide targeted funding for student populations that need supplemental resources, including low-income and limited English proficiency student populations, as does the Federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). In the past, a lack of school level enrollment and financial data made it difficult to determine whether funding provided to local education agencies has been equitably distributed to the schools with whom they are affiliated. The 2015 Federal Every Student Succeeds Act requires that school-level enrollment and …

Feedback For Teachers: What Evidence Do Teachers Find Most Useful?, Thomas R. Guskey, Laura J. Link

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

The purpose of this exploratory, descriptive study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions of three types of feedback on students’ performance to guide instructional improvements. These include: (1) formative assessment error analyses, (2) mastery charts of class progress on formative assessments, and (3) summative assessment results comparisons with previously taught classes. Self-report survey data from 92, K-12 teachers involved in a pilot mastery learning program revealed that analyses of students’ errors on formative assessments were consistently rated the most useful in planning corrective instruction and in making instructional improvements. Mastery charts and summative assessment results were considered more useful in evaluating …

Facultas Marginem: Assessing Disability Data And Public Aau Universities’ Affirmative Action Plans For Systemic Barriers Facing Faculty With Disabilities, Joseph Carlton Barry

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

This dissertation contributes to education equity scholarship produced by academics seeking to develop understandings of disability, Persons with Disabilities (PWD), and how both are situated amongst faculty in institutions of higher education. As such, this dissertation centers on a study of public US universities belonging to the Association of American Universities (AAU). This study looks for institutional level associations between respective rates by which college and university faculty with disabilities (FWD) are employed, certain aspects of disability policy drawn from each institution’s 2020 Affirmative Action Plans (AAP), and various other instances of empirical disability data (EDD).

While this study contributes …

Choral Music Educator Pedagogies For Multilingual Learner Inclusion: A Critical Multiple Case Study, Austin Cole Norrid

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Multilingual learners are the fastest growing student population in US public schools. The purpose of this critical multiple case study was to discover three music teachers’ and one Multilingual Learner resource teacher’s perspectives on the strengths and areas of growth in pedagogies for teaching Multilingual Learners in choral music ensembles. Common areas of strength included: student-centered learning, culturally responsive teaching, and positive classroom environment. Common areas of growth were: multilingual teaching strategies, knowledge of diverse repertoire, community and culture, and multilingual learner empowerment.

Effects Of Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Via Oral Gavage On Adult Alcohol Drinking And Co-Use Of Alcohol And Nicotine In Sprague Dawley Rats, Cassie M. Chandler, Usman Z. Hamid, Sarah E. Maggio, Hui Peng, James R. Pauly, Joshua S. Beckmann, Kimberly Nixon, Michael T. Bardo

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Preclinical models simulating adolescent substance use leading to increased vulnerability for substance use disorders in adulthood are needed. Here, we utilized a model of alcohol and nicotine co-use to assess adult addiction vulnerability following adolescent alcohol exposure. Methods: In Experiment 1, adolescent (PND30) male and female Sprague-Dawley rats received 25% ethanol (EtOH) or a control solution via oral gavage every 8 h, for 2 days. In young adulthood, animals were tested with a 2-bottle choice between H20% and 15% EtOH or 0.2% saccharin/15% EtOH, followed by co-use of oral Sacc/ EtOH and operant-based i.v. nicotine (0.03 mg/kg/infusion) self-administration. In …

Effects Of Voluntary Adolescent Intermittent Alcohol Exposure And Social Isolation On Adult Alcohol Intake In Male Rats, Cassie M. Chandler, Jakob D. Shaykin, Hui Peng, James R. Pauly, Kimberly Nixon, Michael T. Bardo

Psychology Faculty Publications

Initiating alcohol use in adolescence significantly increases the likelihood of developing adult alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, it has been difficult to replicate adolescent alcohol exposure leading to increased adult alcohol intake across differing preclinical models. In the present study, differentially housed male rats (group vs. single cages) were used to determine the effects of voluntary intermittent exposure of saccharin-sweetened ethanol during adolescence on adult intake of unsweetened 20% ethanol. Adolescent male rats were assigned to group- or isolated-housing conditions and underwent an intermittent 2-bottle choice in adolescence (water only or water vs. 0.2% saccharin/20% ethanol), and again in adulthood …

Meeting The Psychosocial Needs Of Online Learners In Social Work Programs And Four-Year Universities: What Is Being Addressed And The Many Areas For Improvement, Kathryn Gould

DSW Capstone Projects

Almost half of social work students enter their program with a history of mental health diagnosis and exposure to multiple childhood traumas. Over half of students at four-year institutions are enrolled in one or more courses online, yet retention in online coursework is much lower than in in-person courses. As online programs continue to grow in the field of social work it becomes a vital requirement to address the psychosocial needs of online learners. The call of this capstone is to examine how universities and colleges of social work can meet the increasing need to improve course work and service …

Perinatal Substance Use Disorders And Co-Occurring Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Kaitlyn Dickens

DSW Capstone Projects

Pregnant and postpartum or perinatal women who experience Substance Use Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (SUD/PTSD) co-occurring are an underserved population and a gap can be observed in the research in terms of clinical presentation and treatment of SUD/PTSD among this population. Social work practitioners are at an increased probability of working with individuals who would identify as such. There are many psychosocial and health factors associated with untreated SUD/PTSD among perinatal women for both mother and baby.

Research suggests that the use of client centered approaches and narrative therapy is beneficial in working with those who experience PTSD. The …

Opioid Addiction In Rural America: The Transportation Need For Treatment Adherence, Jennifer Smith

DSW Capstone Projects

The opioid epidemic has continued to soar throughout the United States for over 20 years. While this epidemic knows no boundaries and affects all of America, rural communities have been drastically impacted by the number of persons suffering from this addiction, and the resulting staggering mortality rates. Rural populations face greater treatment barriers preventing patients from obtaining needed services as compared to other geographical locations. Patients face obstacles related to accessibility, availability, and stigmatization, placing them at higher risk for opioid misuse, abuse, and/or death. Even though this targeted population faces multiple complications in seeking treatment, transportation barriers are among …

Teaching Anti-Racism Practices To White Social Work Students And Community Members, Dennis Cornell

DSW Capstone Projects

Racism continues to plague the United States and White people hold a key element to ending racism by adopting anti-racism practices in their professional and personal lives. This capstone on the findings of a comprehensive systematic literature review, examines empirically-based anti-racism interventions and practices that social work teachers and community educators can utilize in anti-racism courses and workshops for White students and community members. The final results yielded 29 peer-reviewed, qualitative/quantitative research studies within the years of 2003-2021 that can be broken down into six anti-racism intervention categories: class/educational groups, teaching methods, Implicit Association Test (IAT) usage, pro-Black stories/perspectives, interracial …

Clinical Interventions For Developmental Trauma Disorder: How Evidence-Based Practice And Attachment Theory Can Inform Therapeutic Approach, Victoria Deveau

DSW Capstone Projects

Approximately two-thirds of U.S. children and adolescents report having experienced a traumatic event. A posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis requires that the youth has directly experienced a traumatic event, witnessed a traumatic event occur to others, or learned that a traumatic event has occurred to someone close. The clinician is in a diagnostic quandary, however, when the youth presents with the PTSD hallmarks of hyperarousal, avoidance, and emotional dysregulation, in absence of such life experiences. The answer to this quandary lies in an understanding of developmental trauma disorder (DTD). Clinical interventions for DTD are the focus of this capstone.

Product …

Autonomous Self-Care: A Means To Mitigate Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Clinical Social Workers, Jessica Byrd

DSW Capstone Projects

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) negatively impacts the health of clinical social workers, thus, impairing their ability to provide quality services. The symptoms and consequences of STS have been discussed for decades and the conversation continues because STS is a prevalent and pervasive problem that effects social workers, clients, and organizations. For as long as STS has been recognized as a problem, self-care has been identified as a solution. Yet, clinical social workers underutilize self-care strategies to safeguard their mental, physical, and emotional well-being.

A systematic review of the literature review was conducted to explore, why self-care is underutilized among clinical …

Medicare Reimagined: Past, Present And Future Envisioned For Aging In Place, Nancy Patterson

DSW Capstone Projects

The older population is persons aged 65 and older. Many older adults live healthy and active lives while others have one or more illnesses or comorbidities that make it difficult for them to live alone. Older adults aged sixty-five and older who have one or more comorbidities often require assistance to remain in their homes for as long as possible. Older adults who do not have this needed assistance often have frequent falls, make frequent trips to the emergency room, have frequent hospital admissions, or end up in a nursing home.

Product one of the Capstone Presentation is the systematic …

Transforming Social Work Practice And Research: Examining Lived Experiences Of Black Male Veteran Students And Mental Health, Tay Robinson

DSW Capstone Projects

Mental health disparities amongst the African American/Black community are well documented in literature. Throughout history the African American/ Black community have dealt with unethical operating procedures and research studies. This capstone project looks at historical facts, the lack of Black male veteran specific research as it relates to mental health, lived experiences of Black male veteran students with mental health/treatment, and developing culturally appropriate approaches to increasing research and effective practices to better serve this community.

The second chapter and first product of this capstone project is a systematic literature review. This literature review focused on finding literature on African …

Transforming Hurt Boys Into Restored Men: The Lack Of Mental Health Treatment For Black Male Trauma Survivors, Shericka Danielle Smith

DSW Capstone Projects

Trauma affects individuals differently, but the prevalence of trauma and its impact on Black males is detrimental. Black males are at higher risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, substance abuse, and violent crimes when trauma is left untreated by a mental health professional. As the number of traumatic events experienced by Black males continues to rise, the number of these males who seek mental health treatment remains stagnant and painfully low. Many factors play into these behaviors, yet very little data exists on what is being done to change them.

Product one is a systematic literature review in which …

Implementation Of Farmers Markets In Bell County, Kentucky, Rachael Schmetzer

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

This proposal addresses the link between food insecurity and obesity through the implementation of farmers markets in Bell County, Kentucky as a way to increase access and consumption of fruits and vegetables in this rural, low-income community.

Using Concurrent Operant Analyses To Predict Reinforcers To Increase Work Completion In Schools, Amanda Jo Schaefer

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

In this study, a concurrent operant analysis (COA) was conducted for two elementary aged students in a public school to determine if the results yielded a possible reinforcer for work completion. A simultaneous treatments design was used during the COA to evaluate choice making behavior. The results of the COA indicated the student’s choice making behavior was maintained by access to tangibles, access to attention, or escape. The results were then used to create a token economy in which the student could earn their preferred reinforcer for work completion. An alternating treatments design was used to compare work completion during …

An Overview Of Functional Communication Training For Registered Behavior Technicians, Christopher Dollinger

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

Functional Communication Training (FCT) is an intervention involving the differential reinforcement of an alternative response (DRA), in which an appropriate communicative response (e.g., asking for a break) is reinforced while the behavior targeted for decrease (e.g., hitting to get out of work) has reinforcement withheld in its presence. Individuals who work as registered behavior technicians (RBT), under the supervision of a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA), may implement FCT daily. With that being said, many individuals who choose to work as an RBT may not have as deep of an understanding of the concepts and principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) …

Increasing Accuracy In Police Report Writing, Zachary Greene

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

The current alternative thesis project consisted of creating an online learning course intended to increase the accuracy with which preservice and in-service police officers write police incident reports. The online course consists of 6 separate modules and utilizes principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) to assist the learner in understanding and applying the content of the modules. Specifically, components of interactive computer training (ICT), consisting of video modeling, voice over narration, interactive activities, and self-pace module design were implemented in the design of the learning course. Opportunities throughout the course allow the learner to self-reflect, self-assess, and receive feedback.

Evaluation Of Preschool Life Skills (Pls) Program To Teach Social Skills In A Preschool Class, Zhenying Jiang

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

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a Tier 2 PLS program on increasing critical social skills (i.e., requesting for attention, framed requesting for materials and assistant, and delay and denial tolerance) and decreasing problem behaviors for the participants with risk of delay in social domain. A multiple probe across behaviors design replicated across participants was employed. The intervention terminated due to the end of school year before skill 3 could be introduced. Two of three participants met criteria for two taught skills, while one participant did not acquire all skills. Decrease of problem behavior accompanied …

Negotiating Islam: Debating Authority And Ethnoreligious Authenticity Among Iranian Americans In The U.S. South, Erfan Saidi Moqadam

Theses and Dissertations--Anthropology

This dissertation examines the flexibility of Quranic exegesis in accommodating self-defined Muslims’ agency in the predominantly Christian society of the United States. This is a project to study Islam not from the perspective of an explicit ideology articulated by clerics, intellectuals, scholars and elites on scriptural texts, but rather one that focuses on Muslims’ readings of scripture and practices of Islam(s), reconstructed in their lived experiences. During fourteen months of ethnographic research in four cities in urban and rural areas in the U.S. South with Iranian Muslims, interlocutors were found to be engaged in a particular kind of relationship with …

Effect Of Communication And Time Spent With Children On The Parenting Difficulties Of Single Parents In Korea, Ki Jeong Park

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

This research aims to analyze the effect of the time spent with children and the degree of communication with children on the difficulties of parenting children by single parents in Korea. As for the single parents' parenting difficulties, economic hardships have been widely discussed. However, not many studies examined other psychosocial factors between single parents and children, such as the problem of communication between parents and children and the lack of time spent with parents and children, despite their importance in parenting children. This study claims that the focus of public policies, governmental support, and non-profit organizations' roles to resolve …