Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Perceptions Of The Homeless Toward Nonprofit Human Service Provider, Lequan M. Hylton

Theses and Dissertations

As the debate intensifies regarding developing remedies to meet the needs of America’s homeless, one solution is for governmental agencies to collaborate with and employ organizations from the nonprofit sector to assist with the needs of the homeless population. Included in the nonprofit sector, faith-based organizations (FBOs) have historically been a source of debate and contention in terms of collaborations with the government. However, Presidents Reagan, George H. Bush, Clinton, George W. Bush, and Obama have embraced the idea of including FBOs in the pool of service providers offering human services. In the Richmond, Virginia region, FBOs and nonreligious nonprofit …

Exploring The Outcomes Of Rehabilitative Care For Veterans And Service Members Treated For A Disorder Of Consciousness In The Vha Emerging Conciousness Program, Janette A. Hamilton

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past several years, there has been an influx in patients being treated for polytraumatic injuries within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), largely due to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but also due to advances in life sustaining medical interventions. The polytrauma population includes veterans who have sustained a severe traumatic or non-traumatic brain injury, and a significant loss in cognitive and physical functioning, referred to as a disorder of consciousness. The purpose of the current study was to explore factors related to successful emergence from a disorder of consciousness, using a sample of veterans who were treated …

Catching Up And Staying Out Of Trouble: Serious Juvenile Offenders’ Facility School Experiences And Their Transition To The Community, Lena Jäggi

Theses and Dissertations

Despite recent drops in rates, juvenile incarceration remains a serious issue in the United States (Hockenberry, 2013; Mendel, 2011). One shared part of the incarceration experience across different systems and facility types is the obligation for juvenile offenders to receive correctional education. Ample research demonstrates that increased academic achievement, attending community school, and being employed are connected to better community outcomes and desistance, yet little is known about how school experiences in the facility influences these outcomes. Applying life-course theory of the development of crime (Sampson & Laub, 1997, 2005), the present study investigates whether correctional education serves as a …

Evaluating A Brief Web-Based Prevention Intervention For Risky Alcohol Use Among College Students, Zoe Neale

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a brief, web-based alcohol prevention intervention program as a universal approach to addressing the range of alcohol behaviors present on college campuses. The sample of freshman college students recruited from Spit for Science (Dick et al., 2014) included 153 intervention participants, and 151 control participants matched on demographics and baseline alcohol variables. Hierarchical multiple regression, logistic regression, and moderated multiple regression were used to compare intervention and control participants on post-intervention alcohol variables. Treatment predicted lower alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms, particularly among baseline drinkers. For non-drinkers, the intervention was associated with …

Information Needs And Information Sources Of Patients Diagnosed With Rare Cancers, Dana L. Ladd

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

INFORMATION NEEDS AND INFORMATION SOURCES OF PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH RARE CANCERS

By Dana L. Ladd, Ph.D., MS, SLIS

BACKGROUND: Approximately 25% of all cancers diagnosed are considered rare. Patients may face many significant challenges including difficulty obtaining information about their rare conditions. Patients often have high information needs and may seek desired information from a variety of informational sources including healthcare providers, media, print, government and non-profit organizations in order to meet their needs. Accessing reliable consumer-level information can be challenging and often information needs are unmet. Dissatisfaction with health information provision can result in negative health-related outcomes and …

Examining The Effects Of Psychosocial Stress On The Hypertension Self-Management Behaviors Of African American Women, Michelle Laws

Theses and Dissertations

Hypertension is a preventable and yet major risk factor for early death and morbidity among African Americans. Compared to other women in the US, African American women continue to die earlier and more frequently from preventable and controllable chronic health conditions that are notably due to hypertension and hypertension-related illnesses. While there are multiple factors contributing to the high death rates of African American women, hypertension is one of the most common and modifiable risk factors associated with fatal health outcomes among African American women. The rate of death resulting from hypertension is more than double for African American females …

Non-Medical Use Of Prescription Stimulants For Weight Loss: Predictors, Consequences, And Implications For Intervention In A National Young Adult Sample, Amy J. Jeffers

Theses and Dissertations

The non-medical use of prescription drugs is an important public health concern. Non-medical use of prescription stimulants (NMUPS), specifically medications used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), is particularly concerning. One timely concern regarding NMUPS, especially among young adults, is their role in appetite suppression/weight loss. Indeed, some individuals are motivated to misuse such drugs for the purpose of losing weight. Engaging in NMUPS for weight loss has been examined only minimally in the research literature. However, extant data demonstrate that this behavior is associated with other unhealthy behaviors and poor psychosocial health. Limitations of prior research include the …

Black Feminist Discourse Analysis Of Portrayals Of Gender Violence Against Black Women: A Social Work Dissertation, Avina Ross

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored media discourse of gender violence against Black women in Black contemporary films. Four Tyler Perry films were examined using a novel, qualitative and analytical framework: Black Feminist Discourse Analysis. Discourses that were studied include, but were not limited to: portrayals of gender violence and victims, character dispositions and interactions, stereotypes, relationship dynamics as well as portrayals of race, gender, sexuality and religion. The use of new and existing controlling images based on systems of race, gender, sexuality and religion were revealed in a transitional and systemic model. Common themes across the films are provided. This research closes …

Adopting Sustainability Innovations In Restaurants: An Evaluation Of The Factors Influencing Owner-Managers’ Decisions In Richmond, Virginia, Anna Salzberg

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors influencing restaurant Owner-Managers’ decisions to adopt sustainability innovations in restaurants. A cross-sectional survey research design is used for this study, which entails distributing a survey to restaurants in the City of Richmond, Virginia, to gain an understanding of the factors influencing sustainability innovation adoption. Drawing from both the innovation adoption theory and the theory of planned behavior, the researcher contributes a baseline of the restaurants’ sustainability and the Owner-Managers’ intrinsic motivations. By integrating innovation adoption theory’s perceived innovation characteristics and measuring restaurants’ past sustainability behavior, this study increases the overall …

Representativeness Of Patients Enrolled In A Primary Care Clinical Trial For Substance Use Disorders, Sydney S. Kelpin

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the characteristics of research participants is crucial to ensuring sample representativeness and generalizability of findings to broader patient groups with substance use disorders. Using anonymous computer-administered health survey data, the present study had a unique opportunity to compare patients who chose to participate in an RCT for heavy/problem drinking or drug use (N=713; consenters) with those that chose not to participate (N=625; non-consenters). The sample was 40% male, 76% African American, and had a mean age of 45.2 years. Using multivariate regression, the most parsimonious model found older age, unemployment, prescription misuse, positive screen for drug problems (CAGE), having …

The New Gatekeepers: How Blogs Subverted Mainstream Book Reviews, Rebecca E. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Book reviewing has a fraught history in the United States. Reviewers have long been accused of not being analytical enough. It should be no wonder then with the emergence of social media that online book reviewing has become increasingly popular. Online reviewers, especially book bloggers, are no literary gatekeepers in their own right, shaping the tastes of readers across the world. Book blogs in particular pay special attention to titles which have long been derided by institutions such as libraries, academia, publishers, and bookstores. These literary gatekeepers typically ignore romance, fantasy, mystery, science fiction, young adult fiction, comic books, and …

Positivity Ratio: Predicting Sleep Outcomes Across The Adult Lifespan, Janna L. Imel

Theses and Dissertations

Although sleep has been linked to changes in positive and negative affect across the lifespan, the prediction of sleep from affect has not been explored completely. As such, the main objective of this study was to examine the association between affect and sleep across the adult lifespan, using a novel gauge of affect, the positivity ratio. Both subjective and objective assessments of sleep were used in analyses. This study was an archival analysis of data collected as a part of the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS-II), with participants ranging from 34 to 83 years of age. Results revealed …

On Workaholism: Do Parental Work Behaviors Predict The Work Behaviors Of Undergraduates?, Jesse A. Wingate

Theses and Dissertations

This cross-sectional study examined the associations among perceived parental behavior and personality on work behaviors of undergraduate students from a large Southeastern university. Past research suggests that children who perceive their parents to be workaholics are more likely to exhibit workaholic behavior themselves (Chamberlin & Zhang, 2009). Moreover, personality factors including conscientiousness and neuroticism, have been categorized as antecedents of workaholic behavior in previous studies (Andreassen, Hetland, & Pallesen, 2010; Aziz & Tronzo, 2011; Burke, Matthiesen, & Pallesen, 2006). Students (N = 209) completed questionnaires assessing Big Five personality factors, dispositional optimism, and perceptions of parental work drive, parental …

Exploring The Role Of Intersectionality On Cardiovascular Disease Risk In Sexual Minorities, Leia Harper

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Previous research has shown that sexual minority individuals (SM) are twice as likely to smoke, twice as likely to be overweight or obese, and less likely to be physically active than heterosexual persons; all of which place SMs at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). While information on CVD risk by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status is well documented, there is scant literature examining race, gender, and the potential CVD risk in SMs. The purpose of this study was to examine CVD risk in sexual minorities.

Method: The current study used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent …

Is Your Student Fit For That College? A Study Of The Factors That Contribute To Students’ Academic Performance In College, Abdulaziz A. Alotaibi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to expand the extent of available literature in regard to the factors that contribute to students’ academic performance in college. It focused on a neglected segment of the student population, which is Saudi Arabian students studying in the United States. This study utilized a nonexperimental quantitative research design in order to investigate the relationship between the independent variables (the characteristics of the student, the characteristics of the program, and the academic and social integration between the student and the program) and the dependent variables (degree GPA, ability to graduate within academic program time frame, …

Dietary Adaptations And Intra- And Interspecific Variation In Dental Occlusal Shape In Hominin And Non-Hominin Primates, Kelsey O'Neill

Theses and Dissertations

Dental morphology and tooth shape have been used to recreate the

dietary adaptations for extinct species, and thus dental variation can provide

information on the relationship between fossil species and their

paleoenvironments. Variation in living species with known behaviors can provide

a baseline for interpreting morphology, and behavior, in the fossil record.

Tooth occlusal surface outlines in hominins and non-hominin primates, and other

mammals, have been used for assessments of taxonomic significance, with

variability often considered as being primarily phylogenetic. Few studies have

attempted to assess how diet might influence the pattern of variability in closely

related species. Here the …

What’S Real? What’S Not? : Reality Tv’S Effect On Relational Aggression Among Black College Women, Ashley N. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Relational aggression, behaviors that manipulate social relationships, is a pressing issue among Black college women (Dahlen, Czar, Prather, & Dyess, 2013). As a result of experiencing and using relational aggression, Black women may experience diminished interpersonal interactions and poorer overall psychological well-being (Gomes, Davis, Baker, & Servonsky, 2009). The present study examined how Black reality television (BRTV) models relationally aggressive behaviors for viewers. According to Cultivation theory, television has the power to influence the social reality (i.e. attitudes and perceptions) of individuals who consume high amounts of television (Gerbner et al, 2002), while Identification theory suggests that deep cognitive and …

Longitudinal Relations Between Parental Messages Supporting Fighting And Aggressive Behavior In Early Adolescence: The Moderating Role Of Positive Parenting Practices, Megan M. Carlson

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of physical aggression increases during adolescence and is associated with negative health outcomes. It is important to identify risk and protective processes for adolescent aggression in the context of the parent-adolescent relationship. The current study examined the potential moderating role of positive parenting at Wave 1 on relations between perceived parental messages supporting fighting at Wave 1 and adolescent aggression based on parent- and student-report at Wave 2. Participants included a sample of 537 adolescents and their primary caregivers, recruited from four sites in the U.S. No significant moderating effects were found. However, parental messages supporting fighting were …

Adjustment Profiles Among Youth In Diverse Cultural Contexts: Individual, Family, And Contextual Influences, Alicia Borre

Theses and Dissertations

Recent literature has noted that not all youth who experience adverse circumstances (e.g. poverty, exposure to violence, maltreatment) end up displaying expected unfavorable outcomes (e.g. academic failure, depression, drug dependence); in fact, some youth display “resilience,” broadly understood as adaptive functioning in the face of adversity (Luthar, Cicchetti, & Becker, 2000). Overall, research on resilience has offered a new approach to the study of at-risk populations, emphasizing the study of strengths, processes, and mechanisms among individuals and communities that may favor positive adaptation, rather than emphasizing deficits among those experiencing adversity (Schoon, 2012). Although resilience research has come a long …

Wreading, Performing, And Reflecting: The Application Of Narrative Hypertext And Virtual World Experiences To Social Work Education, Linda Ayscue Gupta Phd

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I propose the use of a new media composition of narrative hypertext, performances in a virtual world, and a dialogic process of writing to provide a continuum of learning opportunities in social work education. I suggest that the structure of the hypertext narrative, embedded with hypermedia, mirrors the dissociative aspects of traumatic memory. I argue that work with the multivocality and multisequentiality of narrative hypertext emulates the process of discovery in the clinical interview. The immersive component of work in a virtual world deepens the realism and affective impact of simulations and creates opportunities to practice and …

The Family Affective Attitude Rating Scale In Children With Asthma: The Association Between Relational Schemas And Emotional Security, Jessica L. Greenlee

Theses and Dissertations

The Five Minute Speech sample is a cost effective, efficient means of data collection in developmental research, but recent criticism of traditional coding methods associated with the methodology has spurred the creation of more developmentally appropriate coding systems. The purpose of this study is to examine the reliability and validity of a new coding system, The Family Affective Attitudes Rating Scale (FAARS), for use in children with chronic illness. Results did not support the use of this coding system, at least in its current form, in a pediatric asthma population. Discussion focuses on whether the FAARS may be of use …

Development Of A Two-Factor Self-Forgiveness Scale, Brandon J. Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

Notwithstanding progress made in description, prediction, and manipulation of self-forgiveness, the extant literature continues to be wrought with theoretical and empirical quandaries. In the current dissertation, I conceptualize self-forgiveness within the framework of Social Cognitive Theory and develop a two-factor scale to assess distinct decisional and emotional aspects of self-forgiveness among perpetrators of interpersonal transgressions. In Study One, I test the hypothesized two-factor structure in a new measure of state self-forgiveness and provide preliminary evidence supporting construct validity via associations of that measure with perceived responsibility, guilt, and shame. In Study Two, I replicate the factor structure and provide preliminary …

Examining Ptsd Symptoms And The Effectiveness Of Group Therapy Among African American And Caucasian Veterans, Jennifer A. Coleman

Theses and Dissertations

Millions of Americans have served in the military, and improved survival rates in wars have increased the percentage of those who return home. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most prevalent mental health diagnoses for veterans. Although few studies have examined the link, previous research as well as the minority stress model and transgenerational trauma theories, suggest that race may be associated with PTSD, particularly in military samples. The current study examined whether there were differences in PTSD symptomology (global and symptom cluster-specific) based on veterans’ race and whether group therapy effectively reduced symptoms of PTSD. Data were …

Internal And External Validity Of Sluggish Cognitive Tempo In Young Adolescents With Adhd, Zoe Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents with Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) show symptoms of slowness, mental confusion, excessive daydreaming, low motivation, and drowsiness/sleepiness. Although many symptoms of SCT reflect internalizing states, no study has evaluated the utility of self-report of SCT in an ADHD sample. Further, it remains unclear whether SCT is best conceptualized as a unidimensional or multidimensional construct. In a sample of 262 adolescents comprehensively diagnosed with ADHD, the present study evaluated the dimensionality of a SCT scale and compared CFA and bifactor model fits for parent- and self-report versions. Analyses revealed the three-factor bifactor model to be the best fitting model. In …

A Phenomenological Study: Foster Care Youth Aging Out Of The System, Guy Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this applied dissertation was to explore the lived experiences of teens aging out of foster care, in an effort to better understand their needs. While the child welfare system is geared towards family preservation, reunification, and adoption, most young adults transitioning from the foster care system are not reunited with family members or are only reunited as a last resort. Unfortunately, every year, thousands are leaving the support of the foster care system, unprepared. Youth departing the child welfare system are not gradually transitioned into becoming self-sufficient. They do not have an effective support system available if …

Characteristics Of Adult General Education Learners And Courses: A Correlational Study On The Elements Of Success, Daniel Jennings Stackhouse

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a correlation exists among characteristics common to successful adult career and technical students in the traditional classroom setting, the online mode of instruction, and a hybrid of the traditional and distance mode of instructional delivery. A gap in the literature exists, resulting in a lack of knowledge specific to the reasons for success or failure of these adult career and technical students, specifically in relation to mode of instructional delivery: traditional classroom, online, or a hybrid of both.

This study is a quantitative correlation study of explanatory and predictive design using …

Librarians’ Use Of Instructional Design Methods In Creating Information Literacy Instruction, Michael W. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study was to determine whether instruction librarians in the United States and Canada were using instructional design (ID) methods, and to identify potential explanations for their adoption or rejection of those methods. The theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985) served as the theoretical framework for the study. Research questions examined the relationship between respondents’ reported use of ID methods and the following factors: (a) behavioral, normative, and control beliefs, (b) demographic factors, and (c) professional identity as teachers. A survey adapted from Ajjan and Hartshorne (2008) and from Julien and Genuis (2011) …

Building Capacity Through The Use Of A Strategic Prevention Framework System In Communities, Duncan Meyers

Theses and Dissertations

The Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) is a planning and implementation model that mobilizes communities to collaborate on developing and implementing an evidence-based prevention system. This model follows a structured five-step process with two cross-cutting elements (cultural competence and sustainability) that emphasizes building capacity of coalitions to strategically plan, implement, and sustain evidence-based prevention services to reduce adolescent substance use. This study utilized a repeated cross-sectional design. Participating youth were in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 and lived in one of 27 counties in a Southeastern state that was funded through the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention’s SPF State Incentive …

Claudio Perna, Ca. 1970: The Impossibility Of Wholeness, Silvia Benedetti

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis identifies two main themes in Claudio Perna’s (1938–1997) work: his use of technology to explore self-representation and his interrogation of mapping as means of knowledge. This study also situates Perna’s conceptual work in relation to his field of human geography, in the specific Venezuelan context.

Archival Enactment, Retelling 'The Big Book': Alison Knowles, Something Else Press And Fluxus, Meghan A. Dellacrosse

Theses and Dissertations

"Archival Enactment, Retelling 'The Big Book': Alison Knowles, Something Else Press and Fluxus," positions Knowles’ Big Book (1966) as a case study of historical methodology and interdisciplinary artistic practice in the post-war period. This comprehensive analysis of Big Book, a work of art no longer extant, contextualizes its publisher, Something Else Press through Dick Higgins’ concept of “intermedia,” and important lesser-known junctures relevant to Fluxus and the group’s leader George Maciunas are illuminated. Knowles' early and lesser-known silkscreen paintings are also examined.