Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Determinants Of Evaluation Demand In The United States Federal Government: A Sequential Mixed Methods Study With Hierarchical Linear Modeling, Ruqayyah Abu-Obaid

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the factors that influence demand for evaluation in the federal government of the United States. Although evaluation has become a central element of evidence-based policymaking, limited empirical research explains what drives variation in evaluation activity across federal agencies. The study addresses this gap through a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design that integrates qualitative document analysis with quantitative hierarchical (panel) data modeling. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was employed to analyze longitudinal data from 23 federal agencies (2008–2024), accounting for both within- and between-agency variation over time and providing more accurate estimates of factors influencing evaluation demand.

In the qualitative …

Brain Gains: A Review Of Remediation Treatment Strategies Using Exercise Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Jessica Smith, Kristin Biggins, Loriann Helgeson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

In this Opinions in the Profession article, we explore remediation treatment strategies using exercise for recovery from post-traumatic brain injury and aim to justify the use of such treatment in the occupational therapy profession to increase skills for functional gain. Common treatment strategies used by occupational therapists after brain injury are compensatory strategies, indicating the client learns a new way to perform the task. Though effective, it is also necessary to consider how remediation and neuroplasticity are essential. Teaching new approaches to complete tasks results in functional gains; however, focusing on foundational skills using exercises to relearn motor patterns to …

Enhancing Self-Esteem In Adolescents During Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitalization: A Mixed Methods Study, Praveen Injeti, Julie D. Kugel, Dragana Krpalek, Liane Hewitt, Lida Gharibvand

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Low self-esteem (LSE) can negatively impact adolescent mental health, leading to suicidal ideation (SI). Social stressors, such as peer rejections, are considered a source of stress that can contribute to LSE, SI, and subsequent admission to psychiatric facilities. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an occupational therapy intervention to improve self-awareness and self-esteem during short-term hospitalization.

Method: The research used a mixed methods approach to evaluate the impact of a psychoeducational intervention by an occupational therapist on 16 adolescents. The Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSES) was used before the intervention (pretest), immediately after the intervention (posttest …

A Polyvagal And Sensory Integration And Processing Approach To Supporting Development In Young Children With Autism, Catherine Cavaliere, Nadia Rust, Michelle Rogowski, Alyssa Calderone, Rebecca Marash, Amy Zdrodowski, John Damiao

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The polyvagal theory presents a framework for understanding the autonomic nervous system’s role in influencing behavior, engagement, and connection. Children with autism experience regulation and sensory integration and processing differences that impact their sense of felt safety and engagement in their environment. The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is an auditory program designed to stimulate the vagal system and support nervous system regulation.

Methods: A retrospective multiple subject pretest-posttest design was used to examine the impact of the SSP on regulation, engagement, and skill acquisition in children with autism ages 2 to 3 enrolled in an early intervention center …

Artificial Intelligence Adoption Among Future Journalism And Mass Communications Professionals: A Tam-Based Approach To Students’ Generative Ai Adoption Intent, Chinwendu P. Akalonu

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries, journalism and mass communications professions are slowly adapting to these technologies. This study employs the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and AI-TAM frameworks to examine predictors of AI adoption intent among college students preparing for careers in the field. Survey results reveal that perceived usefulness, trust in AI output quality, organizational requirement, ethical awareness, and certain sociodemographic factors such as race predict AI adoption intent. Additionally, the study highlights differences in adoption intent among students in different subfields of mass communication, including journalism, advertising, and public relations. It underscores the importance of expanding traditional TAM-based …

"I'M Going To College": Protective Factors Shaping The College-Going Identity Of Prospective First-Generation College Students Of Color, Joseph M. Williams, Yakob Lemma, Nina R. Schoonover, Morgan Rustia, Ben Allen

Journal of College Access

A college-going identity reflects a mindset in which individuals view college as a realistic, attainable, and desirable goal. It is characterized by the belief that higher education is a vital part of one's educational journey and is accompanied by a strong aspiration to earn a degree. For students from low-income and marginalized backgrounds, this identity serves as a critical protective factor, buffering against systemic inequities, resource limitations, and low expectations that often shape their educational experiences. This qualitative study examines the protective factors shaping the college-going identity of prospective first-generation, low-income middle school students of color (N = 17). Centering …

The Limits Of Daca: Affordability- And Access-Related Barriers To Health Professions Education, Nicole Perez, Laura Hirshfield

Journal of College Access

The U.S. is currently facing a shortage of health professionals from underrepresented backgrounds. One potential pathway to decrease this shortage is through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, a policy that provides temporary relief from deportation for individuals who migrated to the U.S. before age 16. This study, using 15 life-history narrative interviews, investigates the experiences of Latinx young adults who were pursuing health professions education or working as health professionals. Nine of the participants were DACA recipients, while the remaining six were second-generation (i.e., children of immigrants). An iterative, inductive approach to data analysis was used to …

Sumak Kawsay: Un Argumento Para El Empoderamiento De Los Pueblos Indígenas Y Sus Cosmovisiones, Charlie Degraves

Honors Theses

El sumak kawsay, un conjunto de conocimientos y prácticas propios de los pueblos indígenas andinos y amazónicos, es una buena alternativa a un futuro capitalista y globalizado. La devolución de los terrenos y las soberanías de toda nación originaria, y por ende la realización del sumak kawsay y las demás cosmovisiones indígenas, es clave para evitar la destrucción de la vida en nuestro planeta. El sumak kawsay, según los pueblos originarios andinos y amazónicos, consiste en 10 temas. En orden de importancia tenemos: 1) soberanía comunitaria, 2) equilibrio y convivencia, 3) colectivo e interrelacional, 4) ancestral, 5) minimalista, 6) una …

Psychological Variables That Best Predict Health Related Behaviors In College Students, Arianna Gamaggio

Honors Theses

The present study examined which psychological factors best predicted health behaviors in college students. The psychological factors that were addressed included anxiety, depression, grit, and psychological flexibility. The health behaviors were examined by using a composite variable that included sleep, diet, and exercise. A total of 265 students participated in the study, but only 174 (μ age = 21) met the criteria for inclusion. Participants completed validated self-report measures such as the GAD- 7 (anxiety), PHQ-9 (depression), Short Grit Scale, Psy-Flex-6 (psychological flexibility), as well as health behavior assessments that measured eating behaviors, sleeping, and exercise habits. Correlational analyses indicated …

Characteristics Of Unintentional Injuries In Young Children In Low Socioeconomic Status Families, Annabelle Pederson

Honors Theses

Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among young children in the United States, with low-income families being at higher risk. This study examined seven weeks of prospective injury data from 89 caregivers of preschool-aged children enrolled in a Head Start program participating in a randomized controlled trial of a modified home safety intervention. Caregivers completed weekly interviews reporting the injury type, location, severity, pain, and caregiver in charge. Slips, trips, and falls were the most common injuries that occurred, with most occurring in the primary caregiver’s home. Mothers were the supervising adults in over half of the incidents. …

Organizational Diagnosis Toolkit, Ann Marie Lindley, Catherine Nolan, Connie L. Halvorsen, Franki C. Hand, Isys S. Mccormack, Jennifer A. Hance, Jess Beutler, Kelsey Spaulding Caras, Sara German Jimenez, Stephanie Graves

Capstone Projects

The complexity of organizations requires organizational diagnosis to be an iterative process tailored to the context, needs, and uniqueness of each organization. This toolkit is designed to walk a consultant or leader through a structured diagnostic approach and the various resources that can be leveraged along the way. It is organized into four sections: foundational diagnostic frameworks and models, practical consulting, case-study application, and reflection and learning. It was created by students in the Western Michigan University Organizational Change Leadership masters and doctoral programs as part of the course OCL 6460, "Organizational Diagnosis and Consulting," under the supervision of Professor …

Finding Utopia: An Examination Of Pedagogical Approaches To Teaching Utopianism In U.S. College Classrooms, Brittany Page Brake

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how, and if, utopianism is being taught in college classrooms across the United States. Long considered impractical, overly idealistic, and/or politically dangerous, utopianism has been largely marginalized in political science and American culture. However, this project finds that there are instructors teaching utopianism and they are using the concept to challenge students to think differently about governance, justice, and institutional design. Drawing from political theory literature, course syllabi submitted by faculty from different U.S. universities, interviews with instructors, and personal case studies of my own courses at Central State University and Manchester University, I explore how utopian …

Three Funny Things: A Multicultural Validation, Jon Hook

Dissertations

This dissertation evaluated the efficacy of Three Funny Things, a humor-based positive psychology intervention (PPI) designed to enhance subjective well-being (SWB) and reduce depressive symptoms. Subjective well-being was operationalized through self-reported happiness, measured by the Authentic Happiness Inventory (AHI), and depressive symptomatology, measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). A repeated-measures design was employed across three time points: baseline (Time 1), post-intervention (Time 2), and one-month follow-up (Time 3). Participants (N = 126) represented a racially diverse community sample, including individuals identifying as White (61%), Black or African American (18%), Hispanic or Latino/a (11%), Asian (6%), and …

Effects Of Commission Errors During Prompting On Skill Acquisition And Maintenance, Molly K. Mutchler

Dissertations

Procedural fidelity refers to the extent to which procedures are implemented as intended. Engaging in procedural fidelity errors can lead to detrimental outcomes during skill acquisition and maintenance. The purpose of this study was to parametrically evaluate and compare two commission errors during prompting procedures using an arbitrary tacting task taught to college-aged students. Participants learned to tact four sets of arbitrary pictures and names. Prompting errors consisted of either providing the correct letters for a name in an incorrect order (i.e., an error within a component of the name) or providing the correct name for another picture (i.e., an …

Pilot Study Of The Barriers To Exercise Adherence And Motivation (Beam) Questionnaire For Adults With Osteoarthritis, Haley Ciara Hughes

Dissertations

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition affecting over 33 million adults in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024). While exercise is one of the leading, non-pharmacological treatments for OA (Zhang et al., 2008), patients often struggle to meet physical activity guidelines, increasing their risk of lifelong disability, falls, and dependence (Wallis et al., 2013). Researchers in physiotherapy have struggled to identify effective, individualized treatments to improve exercise adherence for patients with OA that maintain long-term effects (Ezzat et al., 2015); an area behavior analysts could offer insight and guidance. Behavior analysts have developed indirect functional …

Environmental Beliefs Among Evangelical Leadership, Jeffrey Stark

Dissertations

There has been consensus among climate scientists for over a decade about the reality of human caused climate change. Even with this consensus, the public understanding of this issue remains divided based on factors generally unrelated to the science. Evangelical Protestants are one group which consistently polls as more skeptical of climate change. This is true not only when compared to the general population but also when compared to other religious demographics. Most large-scale surveys of evangelicals assume the demographic to be a monolith and do not attempt to break the demographic down further. In this mixed methods study, we …

An Investigation Of Collateral Activity Effects On Behavior Maintained By A Drl 72‑Second Schedule, Cassidy M. Graham

Masters Theses

Impulsivity is a key behavioral trait with broad implications for clinical disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD, and substance use disorders SUD, where impaired inhibitory control contributes to maladaptive outcomes. In preclinical research, animal models provide valuable tools for examining behavioral processes associated with impulsivity. The Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates (DRL) schedule, offers a precise measure of response inhibition and timing by requiring subjects to withhold responses for reinforcement. This study employed DRL72s schedule to investigate impulsive action in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats, with an emphasis on sex-based differences and the potential influence of environmental factors. …

"Gross Normality" And "Marked Deviation": A Qualitative Study Of Disability Theory In Three Periods Of Sociological Literature, Kelsey Sullivan

Masters Theses

In the 20th century, three theoretical perspectives concurrently dominated sociological discussions of disability. Functionalism and Talcott Parsons argued for a pathologized framework in the form of a “sick role” occupied by disabled people. Interactionism and Erving Goffman emphasized the stigmas faced by individual disabled people, and the ripple-effects of those stigmas. Finally, disabled activists, inspired by social constructionism, championed the social model of disability. This model purported that disability is a social condition, resulting from systemic barriers imposed upon people who do not fit the mental or physiological norm. This project, through a content analysis of 30 historical journal articles, …

Home Visitors Perceived Barriers To Practicing Self-Care In Personal And Professional Settings, Lexie Yancey

Masters Theses

Home visiting has the potential to support families in increasing their parenting skills, reducing incidents of child maltreatment, increasing school readiness, and improving financial sustainability (HRSA, 2023; Peacock et al., 2013). Retention of home visitors in programming is crucial to retaining families in home visiting (Damashek et al., 2020; Fifolt et al., 2017; Holm-Hansen et al., 2017; Ramakrishnan et al., 2022). While many home visitors struggle with burnout, research has found that self-care strategies are effective for social work students and are even used widely by home visitors (Begic et al., 2019; Siebert, 2008). This nested mixed-methods study examines answers …

Student Perceptions Of The Impact Of Faculty Race And Gender On Their Sense Of Connectedness, Engagement, And Persistence, Sherrie Y. Fuller

Dissertations

This quantitative study examined how faculty demographic characteristics, specifically race and gender, influence undergraduate students’ perceptions of connectedness, engagement, and persistence at a public Midwestern university. Guided by Tinto’s Model of Student Integration (1975, 1993, 2012), the research explored whether perceived alignment between student and faculty identities contributes to students’ sense of belonging and motivation to persist toward degree completion. Data were collected from 100 undergraduate participants representing diverse racial, gender, and academic backgrounds. Participants completed a researcher-developed survey instrument utilizing a four-point Likert scale to measure connectedness, engagement, and persistence.

University Athletic Subsidies Connections To Various Campus-Wide Outcomes, Daniel Vainner

Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between university athletic subsidies and outcomes for the broader undergraduate student population. The athletic subsidy, referred to as an athletic tax, is defined as institutional and student fees used to support athletics. Although athletics are often viewed as enhancing institutional prestige and recruitment, most universities depend heavily on subsidies to sustain their programs. In 2019, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) institutions spent over $18.8 billion on athletics, with $8.3 billion, or 44 percent, coming from institutional and student sources rather than athletic revenue (NCAA, 2019a). This research explores whether such subsidization predicts measurable differences in …

The Effect Of Shared Decisions On Intertemporal Choice, Rosemarie M. Davidson

Masters Theses

Substance use disorders are a significant public health concern, and improving treatment outcomes requires a better understanding of the behavioral processes that influence drug consumption. Delay discounting, or the tendency to overvalue immediate reinforcers, is reliably more severe among individuals with substance use disorders. Recent work suggests that shared decision-making may increase tolerance for delayed rewards; however, prior studies used procedures that confounded delay to token delivery with delay to token exchange, limiting conclusions. The present study evaluates delay discounting across individual and social decision-making contexts using a traditional delay discounting paradigm.

Ten undergraduate participants completed sessions involving choices between …

The Impact Of Feedback Timing On Work Performance When There Is A Long Duration Between Sessions, Priyanka B. Dave

Dissertations

Performance feedback is a powerful tool central to many functions at work, as it guides, motivates, and rewards employees’ behaviors. To better understand the function of feedback, previous research has examined the impact of feedback’s timing (proximal to the previous per-formance versus proximal to the next performance) on the effectiveness of feedback. However, the findings have been mixed across studies. Studies with less than 1-day between session dura-tions tend to find no difference between after-session versus before-session feedback. However, investigations with multiple-day between session durations tend to find improved performance with before-session feedback. This study used a counterbalanced across-subject design …

Framing The Problem To Meet The Policy Solution: An Embedded Mixed Methods Case Study Of The 2017 Michigan Opioid Laws, Leandra Hawkins Burke

Dissertations

The opioid crisis presents a wicked problem for public administration. Hundreds of thousands of people have died from opioid overdoses in the United States, and countless others have experienced severe opioid-related physical, psychological, and socioeconomic harms. Countering the opioid crisis has been difficult due to interdependencies across different drugs and multiple pathways for abuse and dependence. Many scholars, health providers, and politicians have called for a broad public health approach to combat the opioid crisis, but the full expanse of what that would entail has not yet been realized. What has been demonstrated is that interactions targeting a single aspect …

Examination Of The Association Between Parent Beliefs About Injury And Supervision Behavior, Felicia Acelia Diaz

Dissertations

Unintentional Injuries are the leading cause of death for children in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2021). Several studies have indicated that caregiver beliefs (such as locus of control) are associated with children’s injury risk (Damashek et al., 2005), but few studies have examined whether caregiver beliefs about injury are related to caregiver’s injury prevention behaviors, such as caregiver supervision. Examination of caregiver beliefs regarding supervision revealed that caregiver’s degree of belief in the preventability of childhood injuries predicted self-report scores on several measures of supervision. Caregiver’s degree of …

Mexican Americans’ Attitudes Toward Mexican Immigrants In The United States, Sandra Daisy Espinoza Montes

Dissertations

The United States (U.S.) has often been described as a nation of immigrants. Among the 40 million immigrants in the U.S., Mexican-descent individuals comprise 25% of the overall immigrant population, positioning them as the largest immigrant group in the country. Additionally, Mexican Americans constitute 63% of the Latinx population, making them the largest minoritized ethnic group in the U.S. Considering that Mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans have a significant presence in the country, scholars have called for additional research on attitudes towards Mexican immigrants (Byrne & Dixon, 2016; Flores et al., 2022). However, much of the existing literature on attitudes …

How Was Rehab? A Follow-Up To A Randomized Effectiveness Control Trial Of A Brief Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Protocol For Inpatient Detoxification Patients, Alexander J. Twohy

Dissertations

Residential treatment for Substance Use Disorders (SUD) is a common treatment modality. However, the literature is sparse on modifiable predictors that affect change during the residential treatment stay. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been shown to be an effective treatment for SUDs. Weststrate et al. (2023), in a randomized controlled effectiveness trial, compared ACT plus medication management to medication management during detoxification. The addition of ACT increased consumer satisfaction and ACT skills use, while decreasing psychological inflexibility and reducing withdrawal symptoms.

This study explored whether the brief ACT intervention had impacts during participants' subsequent residential stay. Forty out of …

Measuring The Accuracy Of Hierarchal Linear Models And Visual Analysis For Evaluating Single-Case Designs, Justin Myers

Dissertations

Behavior analysts often use single-case experimental designs to evaluate behavioral interventions. Data are typically analyzed through the visual analysis of graphs. Visual analysis has several limitations, however. Visual analysis has only moderate inter-rater reliability and small effects can be difficult to detect, especially if data are variable. Hierarchal Linear Models (HLMs) have been proposed as method for quantifying results of single-case designs. HLMs are a type of statistical model that can evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with nested data, whereby sessions are nested within treatment conditions. An advantage of HLMs over other statistical tests is that they do not require …

Historically Minoritized Racial Groups At A Midwestern University: Behaviors, Attitudes, And Beliefs Toward Mental Health And Well-Being, Kemmel Palmer

Dissertations

The rising prevalence of mental health concerns among college students, especially those from historically minoritized racial groups, underscores persistent disparities and substantial barriers encountered within Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). This qualitative inquiry examined the mental health behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs of college students from five historically minoritized racial groups—Black/African American, Latino/Hispanic, Asian Pacific Islander Desi American, Middle Eastern/Middle Eastern American, and Indigenous/Native American—at a midwestern university. Utilizing a phenomenological methodology, the study employed five focus groups comprising 51 participants representing a wide range of academic levels, gender identities, and sociocultural backgrounds.

The findings from this study reveal deeply embedded and …

"It Can Be Hard To Stand Up Straight In A Crooked Room:" Examining The Mediating Effects Of Black Women's Gendered Racial Identity On The Relationship Between The Strong Black Woman/Superwoman Schema And Collective Coping, Devin Willis

Dissertations

Prior research on the Strong Black Woman (SBW)/Superwoman (SW) schema has produced mixed findings. Both positive and negative outcomes of Black women’s internalization of this schema have been identified. These mixed findings may be linked to the measurement of the SBW/SW schema and the relationship with other culturally relevant variables. There have been significant positive relationships identified between Black women’s gendered racial identity (GRID) and the internalization of gendered racial stereotypes (i.e., the SBW/SW). Methods for coping with stereotypes have also been identified as influential when considering Black women’s coping behaviors.

The purpose of this study is to examine the …