Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Marital Preparation, Experiences, And Personal Qualities In A Qualitative Study Of Individuals In Great Marriages, Jennifer M. Weiss

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The current study presents findings regarding marital preparation for individuals in great marriages. Data from a national qualitative study of individuals in self-identified great marriages were used. Thirty-eight individuals were identified as being married for 20 years or less, and therefore, chosen as the subsample for the current study. Their rich, narrative responses were analyzed and coded, using a qualitative method, to identify what marriage preparation occurred for these couples prior to marriage and contributed to their successful marriages. Findings from this research provide helpful, descriptive data on the experiences and socialization of individuals that influenced their choice in a …

Analysis Of Building Resiliency In An Ethiopian Pastoral System: Mitigating The Effects Of Population And Climate Change On Food Insecurity, Brigham Forrest

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Worldwide expenditures on international development in the form of assistance or “aid” have continued to increase as developed countries look to both help and influence developing countries. In 2011, more than $140 billion in development aid was distributed globally, more than double the amount expended for international development aid in 2003. Many of the countries that are in need of aid have governments that do not have the resources, the experience, political stability, or well-functioning institutions to effect long-term structural change to bring their people out of poverty.

Ethiopia is a country receiving large amounts of development aid, and one …

An Evaluation Of The Food Web Dynamics And Predator Prey Interactions In Scofield Reservoir, Lisa K. Winters

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Reservoirs are artificial, dynamic, and highly manipulated systems, where the appearance of either intentionally or unintentionally introduced species may disrupt interactions within an already complex food web. In some situations, a top predator fish may be stocked as a biological control agent, if these fish-eating predators monopolize on the nuisance and unwelcome prey. Scofield Reservoir, Utah has historically been an extremely popular blue-ribbon fishery. However, a recent decrease in rainbow trout catch and increase in the minnow, Utah chub, have made it difficult to find a balance between providing the public with a trophy sport fishery and maintaining an ecologically …

The Process Of Couples' Experiences In A Brief Intervention, D. Jim Mock

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many couples struggle with their relationship, but resist seeking professional assistance due to concerns about time commitment, financial expense, and/or fear of stigma associated with treatment. To address these concerns the relationship checkup has been developed. Though there has been limited research of this format, there is still much to be explored. This study presents the findings from semi-structured interviews of ten couples who participated in a form of this intervention and their corresponding clinicians. Each interview was analyzed for commonalities among the responses and distilled into two sets of themes: the couples' and the clinicians'. Themes for the couples …

Three Essays On The Economics Of Controlling Invasive Species, Yanxu Liu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Invasive species have caused notable economic damages in agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and other industries over the past several decades. Invasive species control must therefore be designed to prevent the both the introduction and spread of invasive species. This dissertation examines the efficiency and efficacy of tariffs and inspections as a joint control mechanism at a home (i.e., importing) country's border. I find that a traditional tariff can be optimal in the short run when the invasive species level is directly related to a foreign (i.e., exporting) country's shipment size. However, in the long run a traditional tariff results in a …

Incentivizing Children's Fruit And Vegetable Consumption: Evaluation And Modification Of The Food Dudes Program For Sustainable Use In U. S. Elementary Schools, Brooke A. Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Researchers in the Psychology Department and the Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Department sought to improve elementary school children’s in-school fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption. To achieve this goal, a program that has proven effective in the UK called the Food Dudes (FD) program was implemented in six local schools. Schools were assigned to either experience the traditional FD program (with prize rewards, such as pencil cases and bubbles), a modified version of the FD program (with praise rewards replacing the prize rewards), or no FD program (the control group). Students who consumed a pre-specified amount of FV each day …

The Impact Of Social Support, Psychosocial Characteristics, And Contextual Factors On Racial Disparities In Hypertension, E. Miranda Reiter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Hypertension is a serious medical condition. Although men and women of all racial groups in the US suffer from high blood pressure, black women have the highest rates of hypertension. For instance, the age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension among black women ages 20 and over is 44.3, compared to 28.1 among white women, 40.5 among black men, and 31.1 among white men.

Past research has focused on SES and behavioral factors as potential explanations for blood pressure disparities between black and white women. But, even after controlling for such factors, considerable disparities remain. The goal of this research is to examine …

Exploring Extension Faculty Members' First-Time Experiences With Funded Couple Relationship Education, Jacquelyn M. Alderete

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Extension faculty members are increasingly involved in offering couple and relationship education (CRE), but some have limited background in this format of family life education. This study used a phenomological approach to examine the experiences of Extension faculty members who offered CRE in their respective counties for their first time. Data were collected through face-to-face and telephone interviews. Four themes emerged from the interview data. First, considerations for offering this type of education included valuing CRE, having sufficient and specific knowledge about the needs of the county for CRE, and access to other forms of …

The Agricultural Economics Of Fremont Irrigation: A Case Study From South-Central Utah, Chimalis R. Kuehn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Recent identification of a Fremont irrigation feature in southern Utah provides an example from which to study costs and benefits of intensive agricultural investment by the Fremont. Studying irrigation investment informs our understanding of cultural process behind subsistence decisions, as well as of cultural complexity among the temporally and geographically diverse Fremont farmers.

Fieldwork, funded in part by Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunities (URCO) Grants, included experimental canal digging with wooden stick tools and excavation of a subsurface canal feature. This study uses prehistoric canal dimensions and labor rate data to compare relative efficiencies of irrigated and dry-farmed maize. Analysis …

Calculating Willingness-To-Pay As A Function Of Biophysical Water Quality And Water Quality Perceptions, Carlos G. Silva

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

When estimating economic value associated with changes in water quality, recreation demand models typically depend upon either (i) biophysical measures of water quality as collected by natural scientists or (ii) the perception of water quality by recreationists. Models based upon biophysical metrics (such as oxygen concentration, pollutant concentrations, Secchi depth measurements, etc.) operate on the assumption that people can perceive and respond to these metrics, or respond to factors that are, indeed, correlated with the biophysical measure. Economists have often estimated willingness-to-pay (WTP) measures associated with unit changes in biophysical measures without examining the degree to which the measures are …

Schools That Serve Military Children: A Comparison Of The Standardized Test Scores In The Dodea School System Versus The Civilian School System, Mary Eleanor Fugate

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There are an estimated 1.2 million children with one or both parents enlisted in military service. These children are more geographically mobile than civilian children on average, and previous research suggests that mobility can have great effects on an individual's academic performance. This study seeks to answer the question: How does the standardized test performance of Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools compare to those of public schools with high concentrations of military children (funded by Impact Aid). It is hypothesized that due to higher average levels of funding, a standard curriculum, and both embedded and intentional social support, …

Five-Year Prospective Evaluation Of The Development Of Borderline Symptoms In Psychiatrically Hospitalized Adolescents Who Engage In Deliberate Self-Harm And Suicide-Related Behaviors, Kendra J. Homan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a form of psychopathology characterized by a pervasive pattern of instability with emotion regulation, impulse control,
interpersonal relationships, and sense of self. Research indicates that the majority of individuals with BPD engage in some form of deliberate self-harm (e.g., suicide attempts, nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior) or suicide-related behavior (e.g., suicidal ideation, suicide threats). Longitudinal data from 132 adolescent psychiatric inpatients who were hospitalized for deliberate self-harm and suicide-related behavior and followed for five years was used to investigate whether deliberate self-harm or suicide-related behaviors predicts BPD. Suicide threats were the only variable found to be predictive …

Estimating The Effectiveness Of A Seasonal Gas Tax For Controlling Episodic Pm2.5 Concentrations In Cache County, Utah, Leo A. Moscardini

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cache County, Utah boasts an abundance of awe-inspiring natural beauty. However, at times, its air quality rivals the worst in the United States. During the winter months of December through February, particulate matter measuring two and a half micrometers or less, commonly known as PM_2.5, often concentrates to dangerously high levels causing extensive harm to public health. Lawmakers have scrambled to pass legislation aimed at mitigating the risks posed by poor air quality, recently adopting a county-wide vehicle emissions testing program designed to reduce exhaust emissions from on-road mobile sources. However, its efficacy has been hotly debated and many …

The 2007-2009 Recession, Employment, And Housing-Related Financial Stressors, And Marital Outcomes, Robert C. Stewart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The primary objective of this research study was to examine employment and housing problems (stemming from the 2007-2009 Recession) and to see if there was a correlation between those problems and marital satisfaction and/or the perceived likelihood of future separation or divorce. A second purpose for this study was to see if feelings of financial stress (economic pressure) were mainly responsible for the projected drops in marital satisfaction or increases with divorce proneness. A final purpose for this study was to understand how other factors might additionally influence the relationships between recession-related employment problems and housing problems and the marital …

Policy Designs To Address Water Allocations During Societal Transitions: The Southern Nevada Water Authority's Groundwater Development Project, Lisa W. Welsh

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Although water is considered a renewable resource, there is only a fixed amount of water available. No additional water can be made, and we cannot easily control how fast water is recycled or in what form it will appear and where. With expected growth in the world’s population and economy, the same amount of water must supply more needs. Taking into account climate change projections and water-related environmental stresses, even less water might be available for human uses. People will need to decide how to serve a multitude of water needs. This dissertation uses the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s (SNWA) …

Does The Way Exposure Exercises Are Presented Matter? Comparing Fear Reduction Versus Fear Toleration Models, Ellen J. Bluett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Exposure therapy is considered to be a first line treatment for a variety of anxiety disorders as supported by several review studies. However, there is no clear understanding of how it works. The present study examined how framing exposure exercises impacted outcomes in socially anxious individuals. We conducted a brief two-session exposure-based intervention, including experiential exercises from each therapeutic rationale, with homework assigned between sessions. We were specifically interested in the efficacy of four brief skills interventions: (a) fear reduction, (b) psychological flexibility, (c) values rationale, and (d) control for reducing public speaking anxiety from first to second exposure session. …

Oral Communication In Genre Theory And Software Development Workplaces, Jason L. Cootey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

My dissertation defines how software developers have abandoned traditional documentation practices for other kinds of media that work better in their workplace practices. Ultimately, even though other media like white boards, sticky notes, and “oral communication” are vastly different than traditional, written software documentation, they match the fast paced, decision-making situations of contemporary developer communities. I focus particularly on oral communication because it is the most unacceptable means to “document,” according to traditional standards. I use North American Genre Theory to describe those decision-making situations contemporary developers and note how the theory does not account for all the documentation I …

Obsidian Toolstone Conveyance: Southern Idaho Forager Mobility, Benjamin L. Fowler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study is to understand how prehistoric people moved around the landscape and used major stone tool resources throughout the last 10,000 yr. B.P. in southern Idaho. Similar research has been reported in the Great Basin and western Wyoming and this study continues to fill the map with data about how large regions of the western United States were used prehistorically. This study specifically examined whether or not prehistoric mobility changed according to wet and dry climatic shifts. Based on these shifts archaeologists expect the regions people used to expand or shrink using an economic model of …

Kigali Charity School Analyzed Through An Implementation Science Framework, Alexander T. Fronk

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Implementation science is a relatively new field focused on ensuring that programs are planned well and then delivered as planned. This thesis describes the implementation process for a nursery-level charity school in Kigali, Rwanda, focusing on the facilitators and difficulties encountered in establishing this school.

The research process consisted of interviewing 13 individuals that are a part of the school in question. The researcher transcribed the interviews using an implementation science framework and found trends in their statements that shed light on the establishment of the school. With the help of three coders, the researcher assessed their comments for evidence …

Self-Reported Psychopathology Correlates Of Homeless Youth In Utah, Kimberlee Taylor

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Homelessness among unaccompanied youth is a unique, yet pervasive, social problem. Youth often become homeless through three central pathways: conflict with family, involvement in the foster system, and involvement in juvenile justice systems. As youth experience homelessness during important developmental period(s), vulnerability to mental illness may occur if not already present. The present study examined the type and prevalence of mental illness. Characteristics of homelessness, health and mental health service utilization, and pathways to homelessness were examined in relation to the occurrence of mental illness. Findings indicated that a variety of characteristics are associated with mental illness. Mental health service …

Framing Fracking: Media Coverage Of Unconventional Oil And Gas Development In South Texas, Jebadiha E. Potterf

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The rapid growth of unconventional oil and gas development in the United States has greatly increased the production of these minerals, but has also raised the public’s concern over the dangers involved in this process. Due to the contested nature of unconventional development gaining an understanding of both how the public perceives this development and the influences on these perceptions is vital. As several previous research studies have investigated public perceptions this project addresses the second of these requirements.

This is done using qualitative methods to analyze the content of the online communications of proponents and opponents of this development. …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Couples Making The Transition To Parenthood And The Meaning They Ascribe To Brief, Couple-Focused, Preventative Interventions, Dolores D. Michael

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this research study was to investigate how meaningful it would be to provide relationship therapy from a marriage and family therapist to couples going through the transition to parenthood. The participants in this study all received four therapy sessions before the baby was born and one therapy session after the birth. A total of five couples participated in this study. Data was gathered from the assessments they took before each therapy session and at the final interview.

As a result, the participants in this study all remained stable or increased in their marital satisfaction when measured four …

An Adolescent Journey: Expressive Letter Writing Through A Wilderness Adventure Therapy Program, Ava M. Crump

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the key themes of an adolescent journey during a wilderness adventure therapy program through expressive letter writing to their parents. Ten complete sets of letters (five boys and five girls) totaling over 400 pages were analyzed by four independent coders until saturation of themes were reached. There were five overarching themes that emerged from the data: impact of wilderness experiences, desires for improved relationships, apology and accountability, negative emotions, and positive growth and coping. These themes were presented in the chronological pattern that they appeared in the letters. The findings represent the adolescents’ experiences written …

Father-Child Play Behaviors And Child Emotion Regulation, Amanda Hagman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Most of us have learned ways to manage how, when, and to what extent we experience emotions. These emotion regulation skills are habitual and may seem innate, but for infants and young children these abilities are basic, limited, and unrefined. Developing emotion regulation skills is an important learning task for infants and toddlers; the role of fathers in emotion regulation learning is a growing area of research. This research takes a closer look at early childhood and how father-child interactions may contribute to child emotion regulation.

Theory suggests that during interactions with their parents, children learn emotion regulation skills, but …

A Cultural Topography Of The Sovereign Citizens Movement: Are They A Terrorist Threat?, Piper Blotter Biery

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis analyzes the Sovereign Citizens Movement—considered a domestic terrorist organization by the FBI— to determine if the label “terrorist organization” is appropriately applied, and then to assess the effectiveness of government protocols. The Sovereign Citizens Movement is a loose organization of individuals who adhere to an anti-government ideology. In most cases their actions are limited to fraudulent activity; however there have been individuals who resorted to violence in their engagements with government officials. This thesis concludes that the label “terrorist organization” does not describe the movement well, but that it is more likely that some individuals extrapolate the ideology …

Ceramic Technology, Women, And Settlement Patterns In Late Archaic Southwestern Idaho, Jessica A. Dougherty

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research employs a sample of archaeological sites from three ecological zones to investigate the mobility strategies of hunter-gatherer groups in Late Archaic southwestern Idaho. The sample sites are organized into site types based on an independent evaluation of site components and existing site records. Ceramic assemblages at each site were analyzed to quantify the investment in ceramic technology, as a proxy for mobility. These measures were then compared to expectations generated from three proposed mobility patterns for hunter-gatherer groups in southwestern Idaho. Some of the predictions were met and these data allude to an archaeological record with a multitude …

The Influence Of Parental Mental Health And Family Psychosocial Functioning On Bystander Behavior Of Elementary School Children, Joanna C. Jenkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Being the victim of school bullying is associated with many negative outcomes, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, school refusal, and suicide. Peer bystanders are present in the majority of bullying situations and bystander intervention has been found to be very important in ending a bullying incident. However, most of the time bystanders do not step in to help the victim. The present study investigated the impact of parent and family influences on children’s bystander behavior. Seventy-three third- through sixth-grade students were given a questionnaire that asked about their behavior in bullying situations (engaging in bullying behavior, helping or encouraging the …

Mothers On The Market: Employer Hiring Practices And Motherhood Penalties, Elizabeth Kiester

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

While gender inequity in wages is often discussed in the media by politicians, the motherhood wage penalty receives substantially less attention. This distinct wage penalty suggests that women with children suffer a wage penalty separate from women without children. In addition, there is an employment gap between mothers and nonmothers indicating that mothers are less likely to be employed. While some argue that this is a matter of choice, I contend that mothers may face unique barriers that deny them access to the labor market. I tested this theory in two ways and in two states; Utah and California. First, …

Foreign Policy Through Aid: Has United States Assistance Achieved Its Foreign Policy Objectives?, Jessica Andreasen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Why does the U.S. give foreign aid? There are compelling humanitarian and economic reasons, yet the U.S. also gives large amounts of military aid. What, then, are the overall goals of aid giving in the post 9/11 era? In looking at the history of U.S. foreign aid, three general objectives emerge: political stability, increased economic liberalization and expanding soft power influence in the aid receiving country. While we can identify the motives and aims of U.S. foreign aid, little work has been done to evaluate the success of aid in these objectives. It is the goal of this study to …

Managing The Surplus Of Superficiality: The Case Of Dented Bumper Repair, Arthur J. Caplan

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

This article uses data from a survey administered to 400 automobile owners in northern Utah to estimate willingness-to-pay (WTP) for removal of a superficial dent in the bumper of a typical owner’s vehicle. A unique set of controls are used to estimate the determinants of WTP for this particular manifestation of superficiality. Both parametric and nonparametric measures of mean WTP are also derived. To the extent that a driver’s demand for superficiality represents a market failure, e.g., due to imperfect information, or, in a normative sense, the influence of wasteful social norms, our welfare measures represent estimates of the potential …