Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Examining The Bidirectional Associations Between Parenting And Adolescent Coping In The Context Of Exposure To Community Violence, Jenny Phan

Dissertations

Coping refers to all the strategies and processes that an individual uses to eliminate, reduce or tolerate stress (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984; Rosario et al., 2003). Within the general coping literature, research has observed that use of approach-oriented coping strategies is associated with positive psychosocial outcomes, and avoidant-oriented coping strategies is associated with negative psychosocial outcomes (e.g., Compas et al., 2001; Wadsworth & Compas, 2002). However, most of these studies have focused exclusively or predominantly on middle-class White participants (e.g., Compas et al., 2001; Wadsworth & Compas, 2002) which may limit the generalizability of these findings to other groups. Further, …

Institutional Experiences Of Justice-Involved Adolescents: Profiles, Predictors, And Post-Release Associations, Elizabeth Sargent

Dissertations

Experiences within juvenile justice placements have long been a topic of concern amongst researchers and policy makers, with institutional violence exposure and harsh treatment being two such reasons for concern. The majority of adolescents who enter the justice system already have extensive violence exposure, which can continue while they are detained through victimization and witnessed violence. One’s adjustment to justice settings is influenced by characteristics and experiences prior to placement, and institutional experiences may also have influences on mental health and behavior after release. In the current study, reports from justice-involved adolescents were used to 1) identify profiles of institutional …

Making Lemonade Out Of Lemons: How Millennial Black Women Teachers Navigate K-12 Educational Spaces, Janese L. Nolan

Dissertations

Research suggests that Millennial Black women teachers (MBWTs) are having experiences that are complex and contradictory. Research also suggests that those experiences continue to be underexamined and unexplained. To illuminate the unique socio-political positions of MBWTs, in this study, I examined their socio-political context and navigational tactics while also exploring whether Lemonade Navigational theory could illuminate the contradictory experiences of MBWTs given their generational epistemology.

The Way To Well-Being Through Safety, Trust And Freedom: A Youth-Driven Framework For Older Youth In Child Welfare, Bridget Marie Colacchio

Dissertations

The current study looks at the experience of well-being among young people who experienced foster care in the United States. The objective of the project was to seek a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon of well-being from the perspective of those with most direct knowledge of it: youth in care themselves. Chapter 1 includes an overview of the social, historical, policy, and clinical landscape underpinning the study, starting with a summary of the current state of the child welfare system in the United States. This includes a look at two key contextual factors – structural racism and neoliberalism – that …

Barriers And Facilitators To Library Social Work Practice In The United States: A Mixed-Methods Study, Margaret Ann Paauw

Dissertations

Background and Purpose: Library social work is an emerging field where libraries and social workers partner to meet the psychosocial needs of library patrons. With libraries being situated as the last truly public spaces, they are positioned as centers of communities and have called upon the field of social work to assist in navigating the changing landscape of their patrons. Library social work has been around for over ten years, yet research has struggled to keep up with practice. This study was the first nationwide study on library social work from the perspective of the people who are doing the …

Warmth And Support: The Importance Of Parenting Behaviors On Child Symptoms Among Mexican Immigrant Families, Yvita Bustos

Dissertations

This dissertation seeks to expand research regarding warmth and support among low-income, Latino immigrant families, specifically families of Mexican-origin, and how these parenting behaviors impact child internalizing symptoms and externalizing behaviors. The first study titled, “Effects of Familism, Parenting, and Family Cohesion on Child Internalizing Symptoms among Mexican Immigrant Families” explored how familism may promote warmth and support, in addition to family cohesion, and how these factors may impact child internalizing symptoms during middle childhood among Mexican immigrant families. The second study, titled “Stress and Child Internalizing Symptoms: Examining the Moderating Role of Latino Fathers' Warmth and Support using Mixed …

Parenting And Psychosocial Functioning In Youth With Spina Bifida: Making Connections With Other Cns-Related Chronic Health Conditions, Adrien M. Winning

Dissertations

Parenting practices have been linked to psychosocial outcomes in children who have chronic health conditions that affect the central nervous system (CNS), such as spina bifida (SB). However, there remains a need for (1) more evidence-based assessments that capture parenting in SB, (2) additional research focused on parenting in early childhood in SB, as this is a critical developmental period that has been understudied, and (3) systematic reviews that synthesize parenting research across CNS-related conditions to guide future work. This dissertation includes three papers that aim to address each of these gaps in the current literature. Specifically, the first study …

Disaster Movies And The Perception Of Human Behavior Myths In Disasters, John Carr

Dissertations

This study explored if disaster movies change the perceptions viewers hold regarding human behavior in disasters, and if so, whether these effects are observable six weeks after watching the disaster movie. The study documented the anticipation of disaster myths in human behavior for 121 respondents, providing data that can better inform the discussion of disaster myths and realities. The study found changes to anticipation of disaster myths in human behavior and realities across multiple categories, with statistically significant results related to the factor of Looting Myth. Limitations for this study include a small sample size, and the external influence of …

Using Industry Sector Entropy To Predict Economic Community Disaster Resilience: Real-World Verification From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Thomas Brindle

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an opportunity for disaster science researchers to gain insight into the underlying nature of community resilience through comparing the socioeconomic effects of government action to a common threat across urban population centers of varying economic compositions. For example, the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment related to public health mitigation efforts in the leisure and hospitality sector of Las Vegas, NV, during the onset of the pandemic were well publicized. In comparison, other population centers of similar size but with different economic sector composition varied in the degree to which employment were affected, …

With A Little Help At Home: The Impact Of Romantic Partner Support On Daily Burnout And Workplace Incivility, Matthew Aplin-Houtz

Dissertations

With rude and discourteous encounters in the workplace becoming more common, Workplace incivility (WI) is at an all-time high. As such, workers experience levels of burnout from these negative social interactions. The literature concedes that the results of these interactions lead to mounting burnout, causing negative physical and emotional outcomes at the individual and organizational levels. Considering that the literature also supports that employees have the potential to recover from burnout symptoms through rest, obtaining the perception of control of their circumstances, and cognitive reframing, the time and activities a worker spends at home carry the potential for minimizing burnout …

Trauma Mediating The Severity Of Depressive Symptoms In Veterans With Ptsd, Meghan Curtin

Dissertations

Trauma serves as a risk factor for developing both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. The purpose of this study was to examine trauma type as a mediator in the relationship between gender and severity of depressive symptoms among veterans with PTSD. The literature shows trauma type plays a role in developing PTSD and depressive symptoms. The first hypothesis was that female veterans who met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD would report higher levels of depressive symptoms than their male counterparts. The second hypothesis was that this gender difference would be partly mediated by levels of interpersonal trauma experience. Self-report …

Differences In Internalized Weight Stigma And The Treatment Of Clients In Larger Bodies Among Mental Health And Medical Professionals, Alexis Dosal

Dissertations

Weight is a complex interaction of several factors, including genetics, environment, adverse childhood experiences, culture, physiology, and emotional circumstances (Hale, 2019). By solely considering the categories of food consumption and individual activity, the belief of personal responsibility and controllability is perpetuated, which may lead to intentional or unintentional harm within interpersonal interactions and throughout medical services (Nutter et al., 2020). Weight bias refers to “stereotypes, negative attitudes, and discriminatory behavior toward individuals with larger bodies” (Nutter et al., 2020). Weight bias can be displayed as discomfort around those in larger bodies, holding beliefs that fat people are lazy or unattractive, …

Apoe Risk Disclosure: A Review Of Positive And Negative Outcome, Stacey Rowcliffe

Dissertations

Two of this century’s most significant healthcare challenges are Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment, with 40 million people suffering from the diseases. In fact, a conservative estimate projects that both conditions will double every 20 years until 2050. Alzheimer’s disease involves memory impairment, disorientation, confusion, and various problematic behaviors. Presently, no prevention method or cure has been discovered for Alzheimer’s. Mild cognitive impairment typically includes problems with memory, language, thinking, and judgment beyond those typical of one’s age. Usually, these symptoms do not interfere with daily activities but do not improve and have been linked with a risk of …

Investigating The Differences Between Neuropsychological And Physiological Markers In A Ptsd-Only Group Among Vietnam Veterans, Ashtan Madsen

Dissertations

Individuals diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have demonstrated extinction-resistant symptoms and long-lasting impacts on the brain’s functional activity (Krystal et al., 2017; Stark et al., 2015). PTSD illustrates a strong relationship with cognitive functioning, and research has found lower parietal and hippocampal volume and deterioration in brain function and structure, resulting in executive dysfunction, attentional deficits, mood dysregulation, and memory difficulties (Krystal et al., 2017; Stark et al., 2015; Weiner et al. 2017). Sleep has been investigated to better understand its contribution to AD pathologies as well as its impact on PTSD treatment and prognosis. Although sleep’s functions are …

Supervisory Impact On Counselor-In-Training Wellness, Erin Brumfield Grima

Dissertations

Counselors being able to engage in self-care practices to establish and maintain their wellness is a well-documented need. The risks of neglecting self-care are also well documented, yet counselors struggle to engage in consistent self-care practices (Baker & Gabriel, 2021; Posluns & Gall, 2020). When demand for counselors is constant (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2020) an examination of how to impact counselor wellness through supervision discussion of self-care is needed. The purpose of the study was to examine supervision discussion of self-care, support of mastery of counselors-in-training’s emotions and any resulting impact on counselor wellness. Data …

If You Don’T Live By The Sea, You Won’T Talk About Sailing: An Interpretative Phenomenological Approach Of The Polish Immigrant Experience In Chicago And The Acculturation Of Racial Beliefs, Monica Zabinski

Dissertations

There has been a steady increase in research and focus on defining and understanding racism and the role it plays in the ongoing inequality and inequity between individuals of White descent and individuals who are Black, indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC). However, little research has focused on what changes with racial beliefs when individuals immigrate between various countries where racism, discrimination, and racial beliefs may appear differently. Our objective was to increase our understanding of how the acculturation process may impact or change racial beliefs over time. Our research sought participants of Polish descent in the Chicagoland area and …

Local Labor Markets Exposure To Artificial Intelligence, Greg Call

Dissertations

As more evidence builds that artificial intelligence (AI) is a new general-purpose technology driving a fourth industrial revolution, scholars have begun to consider its potential impact on labor markets. The current debate among researchers is centered on whether AI will ultimately produce net new job gains or losses and what type of workers will benefit or be displaced. While no consensus has developed yet within the literature on AI’s predicted net employment impact, a majority of studies are forecasting that a skill-biased technological change will occur.

This exploratory study contributes to the current literature by operationalizing Webb’s objective patent-based AI …

Advocating For Social Change: How A Human Service Nonprofit Organization Makes Sense Of Its Advocacy Successes And Failures, Megan Pontes

Dissertations

Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) are uniquely positioned to play a vital role in social change, and many integrate advocacy in their efforts. This dissertation examined how one human service nonprofit organization working to help the unhoused engaged in advocacy and advocacy evaluation using formal and informal methods. Through an in-depth case study of Think Dignity, a San Diego-based NPO engaged in the day-to-day work of social change, this research revealed how it developed its advocacy efforts, collaborated with partners, and assessed its successes and failures. Informed by the framework of social change leadership, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with Think Dignity. …

‘The Food Of The Home’ An Exploration Of Place And Practice Of Ordinary Women In Dublin City 1950-2000 On Irish Cuisine, Roann Byrne

Dissertations

Before the rise of restaurants and the accessibility of dining out, the home was where food engagement took place. In the recent surge of Irish Michelin restaurants, and our growing reputation for food culture, one element has been overlooked. Long before the great chefs and level of fine dining we have now – the heart of Irish food culture lay in the home. In the ongoing debate of what Irish cuisine is, we haven’t thought to look inwards, to the routes of our food engagement. This thesis seeks to understand the places, practices and engagement of ordinary women and food …

Lgbtq+ Adults During Post-Breakup Appraisals: Understanding Adaptive Communication Coping Mechanisms Following The Termination Of A Non-Heterosexual Romantic Relationship, Nur E Makbul

Dissertations

This study highlights the intersections among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and/or Other Non-Heterosexual (LGBTQ+) individuals' and/or communities' experiences with romantic relationships, relationship crises, emotional appraisals, coping mechanisms, and cyber tech practices. It employs a mixed-method approach, including in-depth interviews with LGBTQ+ participants and a digital ethnographic investigation of social media platforms. The theoretical framework and review of literature have been drawn from the queer perspectives of numerous critical cultural theories, and media and communication theories. Interviews with LGBTQ+ participants largely demonstrate three distinct mechanisms of coping, including emotional, behavioral, and psychological that LGBTQ+ individuals use after the termination of …

The Mentoring Experiences Of Mid-Level Leaders In Higher Education As They Relate To Leadership Development, Adam Ek

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to describe the mentoring experiences of mid-level leaders in private non-profit higher education as it relates to their leadership development.

Methodology: This phenomenological study identified and described the mentoring experiences of 15 mid-level leaders in private non-profit higher education in California as they related to leadership development. Respondents were chosen based on specific criteria, snowball sampling, and finally convenience. The researcher collected data and coded the data for themes based upon frequency counts.

Findings: Examination of the qualitative data from the 15 mid-level leaders in Private, Non-Profit Higher Education yielded 10 …

Advocacy On Facebook: A Content Analysis Of How Small Los Angeles- Based Npos Use Social Media To Engage Audiences, Wen Chen Denq

Dissertations

This dissertation examined the Facebook activities of seven small nonprofits in Los Angeles to understand their social media use and audience responses. Prior research has distinguished three broader engagement strategies used by Nonprofit Organizations (NPOs), including information provision (awareness-raising), action-related messaging (mobilizing), and community-building efforts (organizing). These strategies can play essential roles in drawing in audiences, but also in moving individual supporters toward greater levels of engagement by increasing donations or becoming more engaged champions for the cause. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of organizational Facebook messages and audience responses was conducted over 3 months. The NPOs included in this …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Fdi Inflows And Entrepreneurial Activity At The Country Level, Jeff Cohu

Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the relationship between FDI inflows and entrepreneurial activity at the country level in a 3-essay format. Building on the competing theories of knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship (KTSE) and the occupational choice model (OCM), this research seeks to determine if FDI inflows and entrepreneurship are complimentary or competing phenomenon.

Essay 1 analyzes the existing comparative entrepreneurship measures available through a correlation matrix using panel study data from 172 countries and territories from 2006 to 2019. This essay finds that the available measures of comparative entrepreneurship are not as highly correlated as anticipated and that there are …

The Impact Of Social Determinants Of Health And Acculturation On Quality Of Life In Older Chinese American Adults With Chronic Pain: A Quantitative Study, Chi Lam

Dissertations

Despite a rapid increase in the older Chinese American adult population, there are very few research studies examining the impact of social determinants of health and acculturation on the quality of life in older Chinese American adults. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of social determinants of health and acculturation on quality of life in older Chinese American adults with chronic pain. This quantitative, descriptive correlational study utilized Madeleine Leininger’s Transcultural Theory as its theoretical framework. Two research questions guided this study: (1) Was there a difference in the quality of life in older Chinese American …

You Don't Need Eyes To See: The Lived-Experience Of College Graduates Who Are Black Men, Born Into Poverty, And Living With A Visual Impairment, Ronald Dillard

Dissertations

The following study seeks to answer this research question: What is the lived experience of college graduates who are Black men, born into poverty, and living with a visual impairment? The researcher has used intersectionality as an aspect of Critical Race Theory (CRT) to conceptualize the research question and develop an interview protocol.

The researcher has conducted in-depth interviews for this qualitative inquiry, resulting in a narrative study. Purposeful sampling was implemented to identify three participants who fit the criteria of being a Black man, born into poverty, and living with a visual impairment. Data was reorganized to tell the …

Examination Of A Measure To Assess Clients’ Perceptions Of The Client-Provider Relationship In Home Visiting Services, Bethelhem Belachew

Dissertations

Home visiting services are prevention-or intervention-based programs provided to caregivers during the prenatal period through the first few years of a child’s development (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000). Engagement in services is documented to improve caregivers’ knowledge of child development and parenting practices (e.g., home safety, nutrition; Ammerman et al., 2006). Despite these benefits, programs are challenged with high levels of attrition (Gomby, Culross, & Behrman, 1999). One reliable predictor of client engagement in services is the client-provider relationship. However, measures that have been developed to assess the clients’ perception of their relationship with their home visitor relationship are limited (Girvin …

Examining Attitudes Toward And Utilization Of Mental Health App(Lication)S For Mental Health Service Delivery Among Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color (Bipoc), Kalani A. Gates

Dissertations

The prevalence of mental health conditions among Americans has increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has been found to disproportionately affect communities of color and has contributed to elevated rates of mortality, morbidity, and mental illness. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are less likely to utilize or have access to conventional mental health services due to several access-related barriers including inadequate resources, cultural factors, lack of awareness and knowledge about mental health, mistrust of the health and mental health field and providers, and provider biases. Mental health applications (MHAs; software apps that delivery mental health …

Exploring The Dimensions Of Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Affirmative Clinical Supervision, Lindsey N. Dollar

Dissertations

Graduate programs have continued to improve over time regarding incorporating training on LGB issues into coursework and practicum experiences with less emphasis on supervision. Since supervision is a major training area where therapists learn about clients and themselves, it becomes an important area for also teaching supervisees how to work with minority populations. However, relatively absent from discussions of cultural influences in supervision is a focus on LGB concerns, and missing is the ‘how to’ within the supervisory relationship. This quantitative investigation sought to learn how clinical supervisors with knowledge of LGB issues and people implement LGB-affirmative supervision, and to …

Investigation Of The Philosophical Foundations And Use Of Culturally Responsive Evaluation, Ouen Hunter

Dissertations

This three-study dissertation investigated the various aspects of culturally responsive evaluation (CRE) from the perspectives of scholars and practitioners.

The first study investigated CRE scholars’ philosophical stance on CRE through one-on-one interviews. The 14 scholars shared how their lived experiences motivated them to write about CRE. They noted the flexibility of CRE as a complement to other evaluation approaches. The interviewees reported several essential qualities of CRE practitioners. This study highlights the scholars’ commitment to serving marginalized communities as their ontological superordinate theme.

The second study investigated how practitioners applied the CRE lens in their practice. This study confirmed the …

Evaluation Of A Brief Act Intervention For Reducing Depression And Anxiety Symptoms In Sexual And Gender Minority Adults, Allie Mann

Dissertations

Sexual and gender minority individuals (SGM) are at increased risk for psychological disorders compared to the general population. Despite this well-documented disparity in mental health outcomes, there is a stark lack of treatment studies examining SGM mental health. An accumulation of research has demonstrated that the source of this disparity is increased exposure of SGM individuals to stigma-related minority stress. It is necessary to examine psychological pathways that are impacted by stigma and the treatments that can reduce psychological distress in this population. Currently, we do not have the research evidence to answer the questions of if current evidence-based treatments …