Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Organizational Culture And Communication Competence Workshop: Masters Plan B, Travis Bergon

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This project began as an attempt to understand how events, such as the “Great Resignation” (i.e., an unprecedented mass exit of employees from the U.S. workforce), have impacted the way in which organizations are attempting to mitigate employee turnover. In addition, this project examined what role managers might play in promoting a positive organizational culture. A review of literature identified Schein’s (1990) model of organizational culture and Spitzberg and Cupach’s (1984) conceptualization of communication competence as useful frameworks for helping managers understand and promote positive organizational culture and employee mental health and well-being. In addition, the review of literature pointed …

Reconstructing The Practical Theory Of Communication In Dating Matters: Examining Teen Dating Violence Prevention From A Communicative Approach, Diana Costanzo

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Teen Dating Violence (TDV) has lasting impacts on teens’ health and well-being. Dating Matters: Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships (DM), a curriculum published by the CDC in 2019, seeks to mitigate the consequences of TDV and promote healthy relationships. Using Grounded Practical Theory (Craig & Tracy, 1995, 2014), this paper analyzes how DM conceptualizes communication. Specifically, I explore and critique how DM discusses topics related to communication and conflict. The findings of the analysis show that DM focuses on sending the right message in communication. In DM, parents and teens are encouraged to “talk it out” or “speak up” …

Who Is More Likely To Be Delinquent In Their Mortgage Payments Among Homeowners? The Role Of Financial Literacy, Ellie Donne Hansen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Homeownership is a way for families to build wealth and marks status attainment. Despite the many benefits of homeownership, homeowners who are delinquent on their mortgages lose the effective means of wealth accumulation and may trigger the beginning of the foreclosure process. There is evidence that homeowners with appropriate levels of financial literacy have a lower likelihood of mortgage delinquency.

Using data from the 2018 National Financial Capability Study (NFCS), the main purpose of this study was to examine what factors are associated with mortgage delinquency among homeowners. This study also examined to what extent financial literacy plays a role …

Teaching Multicultural Psychology As A Cultural Competence Intervention: An Empirical Evaluation Of Course Components, Elizabeth Tish Hicks

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Previous research has shown that a semester-long multicultural psychology course can effectively increase students’ cultural competence-related attitudes when students complete the class in-person and online. Cultural competence refers to the knowledge, awareness, and skills required to appreciate, recognize, and effectively work with members of other cultural groups. This dissertation examined several components of a multicultural psychology course: ethical grading, skill development, and intergroup contact. The first paper discussed techniques used to minimize grading bias and examined whether cultural competence shifts impacted grading. Students’ cultural competence scores did not relate to or predict their grades in the course, which supported the …

School Resource Officers' Reports Of Training And Perceptions Of High School Students With Disabilities, Kandace T. Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this explanatory sequential, mixed methods research study was to identify the perceptions of school resource officers (SROs) regarding high school students with disabilities and their preparedness to work with this population, as a result of their SRO training. This study involved a national quantitative survey of SROs working in public high schools, followed by one-on-one interviews from the same sample to allow for a deeper analysis of the survey results and develop a theory on how training impacts SRO preparedness and their perceptions of high school students with disabilities. The resulting theory ascertained that the presence of …

Collaborative Practices Of Rural Inclusive Postsecondary Education Program (Ipse) Directors, Elizabeth Susanne Goode Dimond

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Inclusive postsecondary education programs (IPSE) for students with intellectual disabilities (ID) are relatively new, having their formal beginning in the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA; P.L. 110-315) of 2008. These programs vary greatly and are found in urban, suburban, and rural areas of the United States. Those programs in rural areas face unique barriers and have unique strengths that affect how they collaborate and with whom they collaborate. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to describe the collaborative practices of rural IPSE program directors. This study gathered the lived experiences of rural IPSE program directors collaborating with agencies …

The Personal Is Still Political: An Analysis Of Jessica Valenti's Contemporary Feminine Style, Michala M. Zilkey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In 2016, Jessica Valenti’s memoir, Sex Object, was published. Sex Object describes Valenti’s experiences of sexualization and objectification in a personal and anecdotal format. The feminine style, a rhetorical style that bridges the divide between norms of femininity and expectations of public oration, has been heralded as essential for advancing the feminist movement. This thesis asks the question, to what extent does contemporary feminists’ rhetoric mirror and diverge from earlier iterations of the feminine style? I argue that Valenti’s employs a feminine style that utilizes relational norms and self-disclosure to illustrate the personal as political and the political as …

A Moderated Mediation Model Of Gender, Posttraumatic Cognitions, And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms After Military Sexual Assault, Hallie S. Tannahill

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Military sexual assault (MSA) is associated with the greatest risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and PTSD severity beyond other trauma types. Sexual revictimization further increases this risk and severity. However, not all who experience MSA revictimization develop PTSD. This suggests there may be a key mechanism that explains the association between MSA and PTSD. Posttraumatic cognitions (PTC), which include an overall domain and subdomains of self, world, and self-blame, may be one such mechanism between MSA and PTSD, although this link has not yet been examined in the context of MSA revictimization. Further, literature suggests that men and women …

A Dynamic Relationship With Wilderness: Comparing Day And Multi-Day Visitors' Indicators Of Quality In Wilderness Settings, Caleb Meyer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The length of stay in wilderness areas is declining and, in many areas, day visitors comprise most of all use. Most prior research exploring this trend took place in the 1990s and few studies of wilderness visitation account for the increase in outdoor recreation participation over the last decade. Lack of understanding surrounding this trend raises questions about managerial and philosophical approaches to the recreation-wilderness relationship. This study explored these topics within visitor use management approaches used by the National Park Service, which manages the proposed Glen Canyon Wilderness, near Escalante, Utah, where this research took place.

Results of this …

Ai: Capturing Core Processes In The Us-China Hegemonic Cycle, Connor Murphy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

World systems analysis is a historically based framework that makes looking at the world easier with trends and patterns. Using this framework and the concepts inside of it, the reader will be able to see the potential that artificial intelligence has in regard to the social, political and economic changes that will come about in the United States and China from the adoption of this technology.

Predictors Of Special Education Inequity In Rural Rocky Mountain West Schools, Jac'lyn Bera

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Current research focusing on disproportionality and equity in schools focuses on the urban environment, resulting in a significant gap in our understanding of the challenges of rural schools. For rural, racially and ethnically minoritized (R/EM) students who have disabilities, this research is largely unavailable or minimal, and negatively affects our understanding of rural needs, barriers, and successes for this historically underserved population. There is even less research focused specifically on rural students in the Rocky Mountain West (RMW) region of the United States. Understanding these factors serves as a critical area of research, and is the focus of this study. …

Vietnam Continued: The Battle For American Public Memory In Public School History Textbooks, Donnie Owens

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The question of “how do we actively remember the past?” can perhaps best describe the purpose of public memory studies. Acknowledging this question, I analyze popular public-school textbooks to assess the way in which educational literature constructs the public memory of the Vietnam War. In total, the narratives of the texts construct a public memory of Vietnam as a controversial conflict contained within a decade of American uncertainty. However, these narratives also take care to minimize or leave aside the details of Vietnam’s lasting impact and in favor of reaffirming American exceptionalism. Ultimately, this thesis finds that students who read …

Institutional Betrayal Related To Sexual Trauma In Military Service Members And Veterans: An Examination Of Posttraumatic Sequelae, Felicia Andresen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Military sexual harassment and/or assault (MSH/A) is pervasive and destructive. MSH/A survivors who believe the institution played a role in the traumatic experience by failing to respond in a supportive manner or for failing to keep them safe may feel betrayed by the military itself, a concept referred to as institutional betrayal. Previous research suggests it is more harmful to be abused by trusted others or institutions due to the violation of trust. This two-study dissertation explored experiences of MSH/A-related institutional betrayal to identify survivors at-risk for worse posttraumatic outcomes.

Study #1 evaluated whether PTSD explained the relationship between …

The Effect Of Congressional Committee Assignments On National Park Annual Operating Budget Appropriations, Braden T. Morrill

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Yearly funding for individual national parks is overseen and determined by the House Appropriations and Natural Resources Committees. This process has resulted in the National Park Service being underfunded and facing a $12 billion maintenance backlog. Congress has passed temporary funding to help reduce this backlog but has not indicated a shift in how funding decisions are made to prevent future shortfalls.

This thesis uses statistical analysis to explore how individual members of Congress are impacting funding for national Parks in their states or districts. Often congressional committee’s act on personal incentives to make funding decisions rather than basing their …

A Social-Ecological Approach To Understanding The Structure, Function, And Challenges Faced By Fisheries, Chase C. Lamborn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fisheries throughout the world play many important roles, and they are also subject to many pressures. The tension between roles and pressures is increasing, and as a result, many fisheries are being utilized to, or over their capacity, which ultimately threatens their sustainability. To address these challenges, this dissertation provides insights and tools to help us better understand fisheries and the challenges they face. The first study explores the impacts of an earlier spring runoff in Montana. Earlier runoff has resulted in lower and warmer summer flows, which is stressing coldwater species like trout. This stress is affecting fishing quality, …

Emotional Support Animal Partnerships: A Multimethod Investigation, Jillian Ferrell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are increasing in prevalence and awareness, though not all the publicity and attention have been positive. Many people, including housing officials, persons with disabilities, health professionals, and the general public are confused about the roles and rights of ESAs. Misunderstandings, lack of awareness, and fraud have led to dangerous and inappropriate situations for humans and animals alike despite overwhelming evidence of powerful therapeutic benefits of the human animal bond.

Three studies provide insight into various perspectives involved in ESA partnership experiences and development. Each study provides a theoretical, quantitative, and qualitative approach, respectively, to explore the …

Examining The Effectiveness Of Explicit, Systematic Mathematics Vocabulary Instruction For Students With Learning Difficulties And Disabilities In A Specialized Setting, Kristen R. Rolf

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many students in the United States are not proficient in mathematics. Mathematics vocabulary is one area that may impact students’ understanding of and engagement with mathematics. This dissertation investigated the implementation, effectiveness, and teacher’s perceptions of a program for teaching mathematics vocabulary necessary for fourth grade and beyond.

This study randomly assigned 30 students (11-14 years old) to receive mathematics vocabulary instruction or not. Three teachers at a school for students with learning difficulties and disabilities administered mathematics vocabulary and mathematics achievement tests to all of their students before teaching the program to 17 of the students. A research assistant …

Psychosocial Development In Adolescents With Disabilities: Modification And Evaluation Of Measures, Myles Maxey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are often overlooked in research, including psychosocial development (self-esteem, autonomy, attachment, and identity formation). Reliable and consistent survey tools are essential to understanding developmental trends. This study focused on creating surveys that could be comprehended by all adolescents, no matter if they experience IDD or not. Findings from this study suggested that there are more similarities than difference across areas of psychosocial development among adolescents with IDD as well as with their typically developing peers. These findings can help researchers more accurately assess psychosocial development for more adolescents, including those experiencing IDD.

Implications Of Malthus-Boserup Ratcheting For Interpreting The Archaeological Record, Gideon F. Maughan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Prehistoric populations across North America seem to grow exponentially, with some variation between regions. Archaeologists have explored the differences somewhat, but have not explained the differences or the sustained growth with any reference to what may be going on under the surface in a way that is relevant to all regions. I propose that environmental limits on population are shaped by what populations eat and how they acquire food, and that when populations are large enough to feel the scarcity in their environment, they change their way of life in a way that increases those limits. The model I propose …

Initial Development And Validation Of A New Measure Of Students' Social-Emotial Competencies, Stephanie A. Vinal

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In order to support student success, schools and researchers are targeting non-academic skills, termed social-emotional learning. Social-emotional learning (SEL) represents the process by which students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, establish healthy and positive relationships, and identify as well as regulate emotions. Research shows SEL interventions are effective in decreasing student problems (e.g., anxiety, depression, low motivation; Barry et al., 2015; Corcoran, et al., 2018; Durlak et al., 2011; Weare & Nind, 2011) and increasing positive student outcomes (e.g., academic success, personal growth; Merrell, 2010; Zins et al., 2007). Although SEL is gaining popularity among practitioners and researchers, there …

Executive Functioning And Brain Activation In Young Monolingual And Bilingual Children: An Fnirs Study, Matthew L. Cook

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Over the past 40 years, the prevalence of bilingualism in the United States has increased. As bilingualism is increasing, it is important to examine potential benefits or drawbacks that early household bilingual exposure has on child development and how bilingualism may facilitate those benefits or drawbacks. This study included 5 monolingual and 6 bilingual children and compared differences in brain activation location and executive functioning skills. Results from this project show a trend of activation differences where the monolingual children had less activation of the middle area of the prefrontal cortex while there was similar activation in both the left …

Stewards And Conservationists: Merging Moral Norms And The Theory Of Planned Behavior To Understand Altruistic Conservation Behavior Among Hunters In Southwestern Utah, Jacob C. Richards

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The leading cause of mortality in California Condors (condors) is lead poisoning, which occurs when condors ingest lead-based ammunition left in carcasses. As a critically endangered species with approximately 115 individuals remaining in the American southwest, increasing the adoption of non-lead ammunition is essential to the recovery of the species. In Utah, the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) uses communication with hunters as the primary tool for increasing the adoption of non-lead ammunition in southwestern Utah. In this research, we use social science theory and data collected from a survey of hunters throughout the region to develop a strategic communication …

Developing Cultural Competence Among Sixth-Grade Students Through Indigenous Knowledge And Place-Based Education, Tyus Roanhorse

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There is a need to develop cultural competence in educational settings. While there is a focus on training K-12 educators to be culturally competent, there is little focus on developing and examining the impact of student cultural competence training. Integrating Indigenous knowledge in an education setting is a unique way to start developing cultural competency by recognizing cross-cultural worldviews and perspectives. This can be done while using place-based education, which links the classroom to the cultural environment that has significant meaning to Indigenous peoples while enriching the learning experience for all students. The current study examines and measures the development …

Cultural, Contextual, And Individual Determinants Of Mental Health Service Utilization Among Latinx Emerging Adults, Kenia Carrera Diaz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Despite being at an increased risk of experiencing mental health problems, Latinx emerging adults underutilize professional psychological services compared to other ethnic/racial groups. It is important for researchers to understand this mental health disparity to improve Latinx emerging adults’ use of quality mental health services (MHS). The current project investigated factors that might influence Latinx emerging adult’s use of MHS through two separate studies. In the first study, I systematically reviewed research published in the past decade that examined predictors of MHS use among Latinx emerging adults. A total of 9 studies were found and included in this review. This …

Masculinity, Affirmations, Belongingness, And Resiliency In Male Adolescents: Effects On School Engagement, Kelsey Burt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study focused on male adolescent students within 7^th and 8^th grade and how endorsement of masculine stereotypes impacts their school engagement and feelings of belonging. The study also examines how peers maintain masculine conformity and how individual resiliency change outcomes. This research is based on two main theories, inclusive masculinity and social learning theory. These theories describe how behaviors are largely learned from the social environment and maintained due to reinforcement or punishment. There were 127 adolescent males who participated in this study and were recruited through an online survey system. Results of the study show that …

Changes In Healthy Eating And Physical Activity Behaviors Of Adult Participants In Create Better Health's Education (Snap-Ed) Program, Kami Bullock

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of delivery method on the nutrition, food resource management (FRM), and physical activity behavior of participants enrolled in either Create Better Health’s in-person or online courses. The pre-survey and post-survey included data on nutrition, FRM, and physical activity behaviors. The researcher analyzed preexisting data from 138 SNAP-eligible adults who participated in Create Better Health’s online and in-person courses.

Results showed similar improvements in most of the nutrition and physical activity behaviors among those who took the CBH courses online or in-person. The online course showed statistically higher scores for four …

Evaluating The Use Of Inclusive Teaching Materials For Learners With Autism, Juliana Aguilar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the last decade, the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) has committed to working on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The work began with call-to-action papers, empirical work on cultural accommodations, and most recently, the certifying board has changed the professional standards for board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs). An objective and measurable step that BCBAs can take to adhere to the new ethical and professional standards is to use inclusive teaching materials. Inclusive teaching materials are teaching materials that reflect the diversity of society. This study compared the rate of learning and generalization between an inclusive and non-inclusive set of …

Aging Bison Teeth With A Gis: A New Tooth Age Prediction Methodology And Its Archaeological And Ecological Implications, Andrew Edward Owens

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Archaeologists use teeth to estimate the age an animal died based on tooth eruption, growth, and wear. Animal age estimations then inform archaeologists about when and why archaeological sites were occupied. However, to date, no concise and repeatable practice exists to age estimate teeth. Therefore, we propose a new tooth age estimation methodology, in this case using bison teeth. The new tooth aging method uses GIS mapping software to draw tooth surfaces and then calculate tooth surface areas of known-age bison teeth. Then, this known-age tooth sample is used to derive algebraic equations that can estimate the age of prehistoric …

An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Interdisciplinary Collaboration And Participation Of Students With Disabilities In Secondary Career And Technical Education, Crystal Kay Emery

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Students with disabilities have been shown to be less ready for college and career when they leave high school than students without disabilities. Secondary transition is the process of a student with disabilities moving from school to post-school settings. Research has shown that participation in career and technical education (CTE) while still in high school for improves the likelihood of meaningful employment after high school for students with disabilities. Research has also shown that collaboration between educators improves academic outcomes for students. Special education (SPED) teachers have extensive training in supporting students with disabilities throughout the education process. Collaboration between …

"To Keep The Church Record And History": The Evolution Of The Church Historian's Office, Cory L. Nimer

Journal of Western Archives

Authors looking at the development of the field of Mormon history have often evaluated it in terms of historiography—as its progression from the domain of amateurs to the output of academics. However, studies of the composition and development of the larger history profession have focused on the discipline's fragmentation and the formation of an "archival divide" between those that write history and those collecting and preserving its sources. This latter approach provides a useful framework for understanding the evolution of the Church Historian's Office of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from its origins in 1831 to its …