Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

All Roads Lead To Darrington: Building A Bluegrass Community In Western Washington, James W. Edgar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Through the mid-twentieth century, a significant pattern of migration occurred between Appalachia and the Pacific Northwest, with Washington’s thriving timber industry offering compelling economic opportunities. Many workers and families from western North Carolina settled in the small mountain town of Darrington, Washington, frequently accompanied by their banjos and guitars. As a group of young bluegrass enthusiasts from Seattle established relationships with Darrington’s “Tar Heel” musicians, a collaborative music community formed, laying the foundation for the region’s contemporary bluegrass scene.

Drawn from a series of ethnographic interviews, this project illuminates the development of a bluegrass community in western Washington, while identifying …

Traditional And Non-Traditional Gender Role Stereotypes In Children’S Animated Films, Rachael Davidson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As gender stereotypes could lead to adherence to rape myths later in life, it is important to study the potential development of gender role stereotypes. Based on the theoretical approach of Bandura’s social learning, this mixed methods study sought to expand the literature on children observing gender stereotypes through film viewing. A content analysis of verbal and body language of the highest grossing animated films between 2017-2019 was conducted. The results indicated that most main characters displayed both traditional and non-traditional gender role stereotypes, which is indicative of gender role flexibility. This shows promise that there could be a moderating …

Nonprofit Narratives: How Two Organizations Use Social Media And Rhetorical Appeals To Address Issues Of Sexual And Domestic Violence, Samuel Hiester

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Though often seen as a panacea for organizational objectives, nonprofits must be judicious in deploying social media, particularly due to resource limitations. Nonprofits deploy many types and styles of digital texts, including social media. Classical rhetorical appeals can be effective means for achieving positive impact in that context. When used correctly, these ‘digital texts’ can be leveraged for maximum engagement with audiences. This study examines both a large, national organization – the National Sexual Violence Resource Center – and a small, regional one – Branch House Family Justice Center – for not only what sort of digital texts are utilized, …

The Influence Of Social Media On The Tourism Industry: A Content Analysis Of Culinary Tourism Brands Via Instagram, Angela White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The tourism industry in the United States is constantly changing and being influenced by social media, specifically Instagram. Culinary brands use Instagram to advertise their restaurants and dishes in a creative, visual way. As a result, Instagram is now being used as a tool by tourists and both potential and current customers to share their dining experiences and find these locations based on the visual appeal. This study provides a content analysis of Instagram account information and photo composition within eight popular culinary tourism destinations by examining the strategies used by the accounts. 50 randomly selected photos were used from …

"If Fear Wasn't Enough?!": African American Perceptions Of Policing After Breonna Taylor's Unprovoked Death., Moriah Antoinette Bellamy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates how African Americans perceive the racialization process in the criminal justice system following the death of Breonna Taylor. Focusing primarily on police-community relations in Louisville, KY, I find the Breonna Taylor case amplifies preconceived perceptions of race between civilian and non-civilian groups. To test the hypothesis that racialization in the criminal justice system has caused damaging effects on relations between African Americans and police, two virtual focus groups were designed to discuss participants’ experiences with law enforcement. My findings suggest that the racialization process in the criminal justice system negatively skewed African American civilians’ attitudes towards law …

Literacy Abilities Of Children And Adolescents With Williams Syndrome., Caroline Greiner De Magalhaes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I report findings from two studies of the literacy abilities of children with Williams syndrome (WS), a genetic disorder associated with intellectual disability. I had two overarching goals: 1) evaluate the applicability of theories of reading and spelling acquisition developed based on typically developing children to children with WS; and 2) provide results that would inform the development of targeted assessments and interventions. In Study 1, individual differences in phonological awareness, visual spatial perception, vocabulary, overall intellectual abilities, and reading instruction approach (systematic phonics vs. other approaches) for sixty-nine 6 – 7-year-olds (most of whom were in …

Charting The Unknown: Examining The Prevalence And Correlates Of Seconday Traumatic Stress In Kentucky Probation And Parole Officers., Amanda Marie Roberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to discern the prevalence and magnitude of both exposure to traumatic events and Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS); as well as potential correlates of STS in a group of Probation and Parole officers in the state of Kentucky Department of Corrections (KY DOC). Participants (N=302) completed a written survey which asked them to indicate demographic variables (age, gender, and ethnicity), as well as several important occupational variables, namely years of experience in the KY DOC, caseload volume, prison work experience, and whether or not they are responsible for a sexual offender caseload. Participants were also …

Social Disorganization And Violent Crime Across Nonmetropolitan Areas Of Kentucky., Daniel Ray Jude

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This macro-level study examines the effects of social disorganization predictors on violent crime registered in nonmetropolitan areas of Kentucky from 2012 to 2016. The study intends to expand the line of research interested in verifying the applicability of the social disorganization theory (Shaw & McKay, 1942), including its new theoretical developments, to non-urban settings and plans to contribute to the literature willing to provide a better understanding of violent crime in rural areas. In response to Narag et al.’s (2009) call for a theoretical integration of environmental contaminants among the ecological factors that influence variations in crime, the study also …

Exploring The Promotion Of Youth Voice And Activism By Youth Development Workers In Community-Based Programs., Rebecka M. Bloomer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Youth-adult partnerships (Y-APs) and youth voice promotion are best practices within the youth development sector, but youth development workers receive little training or guidance in employing these concepts. A scarcity of research explores the relationships between organizational supports, as demonstrated by training, supervision, evaluation, and worker engagement in promoting youth voice. The two studies within this dissertation investigated the social processes of how and why youth development workers promoted youth voice. Program participants were primarily youth of color living in areas of high multidimensional poverty. They also explored how and why organizational factors impacted the promotion of youth voice within …

Black Codes Re-Envisioned: The Dred Scott Majority Opinion As An Antiblack Performative Speech Act., Tiffany Dillard-Knox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a discursive analysis of the decision in the Dred Scott v Sandford, 1857 case written by Chief Justice Roger Taney. It begins with an overview of the literature on performative speech acts, focusing on the aspects of performatives that relate to Louis Miron and Jonathan Xavier Inda’s thesis that race is a performative speech act. Breaking from their use of race as the analytic, this analysis is situated within a black/nonblack paradigm. This provides a framework that focuses on the unique ways in which the discourse of the text enacts, accumulates and renders blackness fungible. The …

Optimism And Physical Health-Related Quality Of Life In Chronic Illness: Mediating Effects Of Control Beliefs And Health Behaviors, Morgan Treaster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Among persons living with, or recovering from, chronic illness, poor physical health-related quality of life is a concern, as current and residual illness symptoms and treatment side effects may deleteriously impact physical functioning and fulfillment of daily roles. Numerous cognitive, emotional, and behavioral factors may impact perceptions of health status. Optimism, for example, is conceptualized as belief in the occurrence of positive future outcomes, and is beneficially associated with physical health-related quality of life. Further, optimism may contribute to enhanced perceptions of control and efficacy over disease symptoms and general health, manifesting as proactive health behaviors (e.g., wellness behaviors; treatment …

Exploration Of Strategies Of Teacher Leaders For Responding To Students Experiencing Trauma Framed In Casel's Social And Emotional Learning Theory, Kimberly Dionne Parrott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to explore strategies for supporting students experiencing trauma as perceived by teacher leaders framed in CASEL’s social and emotional learning theory. A descriptive instrumental case study design utilized data from online interviews and voluntarily submitted artifacts of nine middle school teacher leaders to investigate strategies used to support students experiencing trauma. Data were manually coded to determine themes indicating recommend strategies used to support students who have experienced trauma. The overall findings revealed that teacher leaders require professional development focusing on trauma-informed practices to suitably support students who are experiencing trauma. …

The Efficacy Of A Rapid Rehousing Program Serving Adults Experiencing Homelessness In West Central Texas, Unique Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discusses the dynamics of homelessness and examines one agency (Abilene Hope Haven) that aims to help homeless individuals receive permanent housing. This study explores the characteristics that influence the likelihood of placement in permanent housing within 12 months at Abilene Hope Haven. The different types of supportive housing programs and their roles in helping homeless individuals will be discussed. Secondary data gathered from the Homeless Management Information System were entered into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, and then a logistical regression analysis was created to explain the relationships between the different characteristics and permanency placement. A key …

The Relationship Of Hospital Ceo Gender And The Patient Experience: The Role Of The Mediating Effects Of Hospital Characteristics, Lanean M. Lang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this quantitative study, I investigated CEO gender and the patient experience in acute care hospitals in Texas for 2019. As the patient-experience has been the metric for quality patient care and hospital reimbursements, hospital CEOs play an important role in promoting positive patient experience as they lead the organization in strategic goals. The study is relevant as a shortage of experienced and qualified healthcare leaders is expected as baby-boomers retire. The lack of women leaders remains a challenging issue. The purpose of the study was to assess the gender differences of the CEO on the impact of patient experience …

Secondary Traumatic Stress In School Psychology Practicum And Internship Students, John Phillip Burnett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School psychology practicum and internship students increasingly engaged in activities in which they assisted children and clients who were survivors of various traumatic experiences. It has become apparent that the psychological effects of secondary traumatic stress (STS) extend beyond those directly affected and impact those in a variety of helping professions. Despite research that examined STS in various helping professions, gaps currently exist that describe STS in school psychology. In reported research, similar helping professionals engaged in school psychology service activities, which resulted in elevated STS symptoms and other adverse outcomes (Ravi et al., 2021). This study posited that school …

Trauma Informed Care In Alternative Education Settings, Cydney V. Quinn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schools are considered to be the primary location for providing children with prevention and treatment for mental health symptoms, however, it is well documented that children’s mental health needs remain underserved. Especially at risk are children who have experienced trauma and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Many children in this group are subject to disciplinary action, and are often removed from primary classrooms to alternative education placements (AEP) in an effort to manage behaviors. Therefore, it is important that alternative education teachers are trained in trauma-informed care (TIC). While it may be presumed that AEP staff would be well-versed in …

Multivariate Cluster Analysis Of The Teacher Stress Inventory (Tsi) Prior To And During Covid-19, Berenice Saez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a negative situation with no precedents in the education system of the United States (U.S.). To mitigate the spread of the virus, many school closures occurred nationwide, and schools transitioned from face-to-face instruction to a mixture of self-directed guide home education or online teaching. These drastic changes could be causing teachers, as many other professionals exposed to sudden adjustments (e.g., medical doctors/firefighters), to express high levels of stress, emotional burden, and anxiety. The purpose of this study is to compare the profiles of the teacher stress inventory (TSI) before and during COVID-19. …

Exploring The Impact Of The Achievement Gap On Shame And Resilience In African American College Students, Brittany R. Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The achievement gap refers to the stark difference that occurs between racial or gender groups, as one group performs significantly higher than the other. An achievement gap has the propensity to produce psychological distress, as well as buffering techniques that are necessary for survival and success. Growing research shows that African American college students experience unique levels of trauma, shame, hardship, macro, and micro-aggressions, suggesting that these students learn to self-preserve as early as 10 years old. This study used a Pearson correlation, Independent T-Test, and a Moderated Multiple Regression to explore the impact of the achievement gap on shame …

Administrative Supervision And Counselor Burnout, Emily Belsito

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental health counselors continue to experience burnout due to their roles and the nature of their work. The supervisory working alliance and clinical supervision have been shown to be one protective factor against burnout, however the research to date on administrative supervision’s relationship to burnout is scant. This quantitative study involved a sample (N =110) of mental health counselors, who met specific criteria, who completed a series of three inventories: the Counselor Burnout Inventory (CBI), the Brief Supervisory Working Alliance Trainee Form (BSWAT), and the Satisfaction of Administrative Supervision Scale (created by researcher). A multiple regression using the enter …

A Phenomenology Of Challenging Psychedelic Experiences: From Relational Trauma To Relational Healing, Leland Guthrie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Psychedelic medicine is a re-emerging therapeutic paradigm with potentially significant clinical applications. This study contributes to an understanding of the aspects of challenging psychedelic experiences that may contribute to therapeutic outcomes. Interview and written data from five participants about their challenging Ayahuasca experiences was analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The results of this analysis revealed a phenomenological structure of challenging psychedelic experiences consisting of a change process that moved the participants from a sense of disconnection to a sense of connection with themselves, others, nature and the cosmos. Findings from the study suggest that challenging psychedelic experiences may be …

Psychometric Synthesis Of The Drug Abuse Screening Test 20-Item Version (Dast-20), Erin Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Numerous research articles have reported differing data on the psychometric properties of the 20-item version of the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-20, Skinner, 1982a). Aggregating this diverse information can lead to a better understanding of how to use and interpret the instrument with clients and research participants. In this psychometric synthesis, evidence of reliability and validity of the DAST-20 scores was aggregated in order to provide a more comprehensive summary of the psychometric properties of the instrument to better inform counseling professionals when using the DAST-20. Overall, the available evidence indicates that the DAST-20 produces reliable and valid scores when …

Developing A Teacher Professional Development Activity With Social Learning Theory To Address Educators’ Attitudes, Knowledge, And Skills In Working With Lgbtqia+ Youth, Jacob Wadsworth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is well documented that children who identify as a sexual minority or as gender-non-conforming are at an increased likelihood to experience adverse events and risk factors that can make it difficult to function in the community, home, and school environments. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning, intersex, or asexual (LGBTQIA+) youth report high levels of bullying and victimization with little or no effective intervention from teachers in schools. Research shows that not only are teachers ill-prepared to effectively intervene, but also they engage in homophobic behavior that contribute to a negative school climate. Previous literature shows that there is …

Interdependence With Our Most Forgetful Elders: Alzheimer's In The Anthropocene, Christine Heller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation uses autoethnography and critical psychological and philosophical theories to explore what people with Alzheimer’s disease teach us about being, forgetting, and dying in the Anthropocene. The author collected personal memory data from her lived experience of being with her mother while she had Alzheimer’s disease, and organized these memories into a series of vignettes. Each vignette was analyzed with critical psychological and philosophical theories to illuminate intersubjective themes of denial, things, ancestors, place, dying, and time. These themes connected the personal to the epochal and articulated the wisdom that our most forgetful elders can share in the Anthropocene, …

Is Being Respectable Enough?: A Critical Investigation Of Code-Switching And The Lived Experiences Of Black Leaders Who Work At Nonprofits In Bridgertown, Ramona Crawford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current literature on Black nonprofit leaders is scarce, causing little to be known about the experiences that they have encountered when navigating their roles and responsibilities. Even less literature is available on these Black leaders and their usage of code-switching strategies when attempting to navigate those same nonprofits. Based on themes uncovered during the literature review this study employs an in-depth narrative inquiry qualitative methodology. While using theories such as critical race theory (Delgado & Stefancic, 200; Ladson-Billings,1998), the politics of respectability (Higginbotham, 1993) and the theory of capital (Bourdieu, 1985; 1996) the researcher examines the leadership experiences of …

Approaching Trans Debates As Fascistic Sites Of Engagement., Sarah Jump

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For the past decade, trans rights issues have been a legal topic of discussion and are still discussed publicly in 2021. This thesis researched how arguments surrounding anti-trans issues were successful in the United States. The arguments surrounding these issues are important to study to see how they pass within society and if traditional rules of argumentation are changing. This thesis proposes that traditional dialectical argument is no longer occurring and has taken a post-dialectical turn. The purpose of this thesis is to describe the kinds of arguments used in these issues and build the case that they are evidence …

A Social Learning Approach To The Examination Of The Temporal Directionality Between Parenting Behavior And Early Adolescents' Affect., Shelby M. Burton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study contributes to current literature by being the first to longitudinally examine the relation between early adolescents’ negative and positive affect and specific parenting behaviors. The five parenting behaviors examined in the current study are rooted within the social learning theory constructs of effective discipline (i.e., corporal punishment, inconsistent discipline), positive involvement (i.e., parental involvement), monitoring (i.e., poor monitoring and supervision), and social skills encouragement (i.e., positive parenting). Two research questions were addressed: (1) how are parenting behaviors at baseline associated with early adolescent-reported NA and PA at a later timepoint, and (2) how are early adolescents’ NA and …

"When The Voices Of Children Are Heard": Evaluating The Biological Effects Of Socioeconomic Status On Children In Postmedieval London., Ashley R. Ezzo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the most vulnerable members of society, children (and their treatment) may reveal important sociocultural and socioeconomic praxes throughout human history. During the Postmedieval period, children, especially low socioeconomic status (SES) individuals, participated in the workforce. By examining the demographic distributions and paleopathological profiles of juvenile skeletal remains from high SES (St. Bride’s Crypt and Chelsea Old Church) and low SES (St. Bride’s Lower and Crossbones) Postmedieval (1700-1850 CE) London cemeteries, we can better understand how SES impacted the biological health and mortality of children. While results indicated higher mortality risk associated with low SES circumstances, most differences in pathological …

The Effect Of Parent Interactions On Young Infants’ Visual Attention In An Object Manipulation Task., Nonah Marie Olesen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Sticky Mittens (SM) task, an object-manipulation task that facilitates typically developing pre-reaching infants’ learning through active experience with objects, is often utilized to understand how experience affects young infants’ learning about objects. SM experience has been shown to increase infants’ attention to objects, object engagement, and object exploration (Libertus & Needham, 2010; Needham, Barrett, & Peterman, 2002) and facilitates development of causal perception (Rakison & Krogh, 2012; Holt, 2016). Although the majority of SM studies have involved parents interacting naturally with their infants, few have focused on how those interactions affect infants’ learning and performance during or after SM. …

Manipulating Mindful Breathing Versus Mindful Eating: Examining The Effect Of Specific Mindfulness Mechanisms On Food Intake And Eating Disorder Symptoms., Irina Alexandrovna Vanzhula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background. Understanding which specific mindfulness practices contribute to improvements in ED symptoms, as well as the mechanisms of action by which this change occurs, may help improve MBTs for EDs. The current study aims to compare the effects of various brief mindfulness exercises on state ED symptoms and food intake and to test whether a reduction in state rumination and state difficulties in emotion dysregulation and an increase in awareness of hunger, fullness, and satiety cues mediate these effects. Methods. Two hundred and two undergraduate females participated in the experiment. Participants were randomized to listen to one of the four …

General Strain Theory And Violent Behavior In A Military Sample., Leslie A. Greenwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examines violent behavior in a military sample through an examination of General Strain Theory (GST). The overall sample (n = 21,449) is made up of active-duty, national guard, and reserve U.S. Army soldiers surveyed from 2011 to 2013 for the All Army Study (AAS) component of the Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (STARRS). The present study is a secondary analysis of the STARRS’ data. Overall, the results of the present study produce empirical support for GST. Binomial logistic regression analyses show that all measures of strain (e.g., deployment, health, and life spheres strain), …