Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Mental Illness On Trust Between Military Veterans, Kristina Marie Reihl

Theses and Dissertations

Service members have reported the perception that seeking treatment for, and/or having a mental illness will cause a loss of trust between a service member and his/her leaders and peers (Nash, Silva, and Litz, 2009; Hoge et al, 2004). This study aimed to determine if the presence of a mental illness affects the trust between service members and determine whether other variables moderated this relationship. Using social media and Mechanical Turk an internet participant-recruiting site operated by Amazon, data were collected from 220 military Veterans. Participants were assessed using a research developed Demographics Questionnaire, the Combat Exposure Scale, The Unit …

Assessing Clinical Competency: The Simulated Patient Assessment And Research Collaboration, Jessica Ketterer

Theses and Dissertations

The efficacy of using simulated patients (SPs) to train clinical interviewing skills in pre-practicum- and practicum-level mental health clinicians was evaluated compared to the use of traditional role-play with peers. Participants, regardless of group, engaged in a 15-minute videotaped simulated clinical session with an SP as a pre- and post-test measurement and completed five laboratory sessions, either utilizing role-play with peers or with an SP. Participants' counseling self-efficacy (CSE), measured by the Counseling Self-Estimate Inventory (COSE); state anxiety, measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Version Y-1 (STAI Y-1); and self-reflective anxiety, measured by the Fear of Negative Evaluation scale (FNE), …

Predictors Of Post Foster Care Functioning: Assessing Emotional Intelligence In Foster Alumni, Nicole Englebert

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined factors predictive of post foster care outcomes, with a particular focus on Emotional Intelligence (EI). EI was conceptualized using Bar-On's mixed model approach. Central study questions examined whether EI offered incremental prediction of several meaningful outcomes, over and above other contextual and individual variables. Outcomes included educational attainment, income level, various domains of Quality of Life (QOL), and mental health functioning. Twenty one foster alumni participated in the study. Correlational and hierarchical regression analyses were performed. Predictor variables were organized into four blocks and entered using a hierarchical method in the following order: contextual foster care factors, …

The Neuropsychological Application Of The Wais-Iv Over The Wais-Iii, Jessica Robbins

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the WAIS-IV and how the changes to the test may impact the measure's usefulness in neuropsychological evaluations. It was hypothesized that the WAIS-IV would be a significantly better predictor of performance on the neuropsychological measures of the Category Test, Finger Tapping Test, Trail Making Test, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test over the WAIS-III. The mixed clinical sample came from an archival database of volunteer research participants and individuals clinically referred to a university outpatient facility. A total of 91 participants were administered the WAIS-III and WAIS-IV as part of a larger neuropsychological battery. The results of …

Do Parent And Teacher Ratings Of Behavior Measure What They Are Intended To Measure?, Phillip Martin

Theses and Dissertations

This study involves an examination of the neurocognitive correlates of subscales of the Conners' Rating Scale - Revised (CRS-R), an ADHD behavioral rating form, in both a child (n=72) and an adolescent (n=49) sample. While both behavioral rating forms and neuropsychological measures are commonly employed in pediatric clinical evaluations, these two forms of assessment do not generally converge as expected. The purpose of the current research was to examine and compare the abilities of intellectual, academic, attentional, and executive skills to account for variance in parent and teacher ratings of behavior across two pediatric age groups in a clinical setting. …

Attachment Style And Psychological Sense Of Community In The Context Of 12-Step Recovery, Amy Elizabeth Ellis

Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 10% of adults living in the United States meet criteria for a Substance Use Disorder. Although 12-step groups are considered evidence-based practices for substance use problems, an understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which they facilitate recovery practices remains in its infancy. The purpose of the current study was to explore whether attachment could be considered a possible mediator of the effects of recovery practices on positive psychosocial outcomes. Participants (N = 112) were self-identified NA members from 26 U.S. states who completed an online survey assessing attachment style, psychosocial sense of community, psychological well-being, and various other recovery …

Emotional Bond Between The Creator And The Avatar: Changes In Behavioral Intentions To Engage In Alcohol-Related Traffic Risk Behaviors, Hokyung Kim

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examines the joint impact of relationship with one's avatar and negative consequences to the avatar on changing behavioral intentions (CBI) in terms of alcohol-impaired driving. Avatars are users' visual self-representation in a virtual world, and play a major role to build the users' digital identity. One hundred eleven participants volunteered to participate in several experimental conditions where the degree of choice of avatar features and the degree of active control of the avatar were manipulated in Second Life, an immersive 3D virtual environment. Participants who were allowed to customize their avatar viewed their avatar more similar and …

Working It Out: Examining The Psychological Effects Of Music And Exercise And Exploring The Theoretical Background Of Health Behaviors, Caroline R. Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

Exercise has been linked to mood benefits, and music may increase these effects. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the psychological effects of music and exercise. Exercise was hypothesized to increase mood more significantly in those who listened to music. Listening to music while exercising was also hypothesized to lead to lower perceived exertion and higher exercise enjoyment. Participants (N = 148) completed 20 minutes of moderately-paced walking, either with or without a personal music player. Exercise significantly increased mood in all measured dimensions. Exercise enjoyment was significantly higher among participants who exercised with music and music …

Perceptions Of Humanity: College Students On Homelessness, Emily Ann Burdett

Theses and Dissertations

Initially focused on previous research regarding the demographics of the homeless population over the past three decades to develop a deeper understanding of issues homeless people face, a brief study was done to gather college students' beliefs regarding the homeless population and demographics of the students. It was found that ethnicity and political affiliation both had significant effects on the students' perceptions of homelessness. Beliefs in the causes of homelessness were effected by political affiliation. Ethnicity affected scores regarding students' willingness to affiliate with homeless individuals. Social Dominance Orientation scores also correlated negatively with Distributive Justice Beliefs of Others. No …

Where Does Electronic Aggression Fit?: A Comparison Of Dimensional And Categorical Models Of Adolescent Aggression, Krista R. Mehari

Theses and Dissertations

Electronic aggression is a rapidly growing focus of research, but it lacks a unifying theoretical framework that is necessary to advance the field. The lack of a theoretical framework has led to inconsistencies in measurement of electronic aggression, making it difficult to draw conclusions across studies. In general, researchers have assumed that electronic aggression constitutes a new form of aggression, a counterpart to physical, verbal, and relational aggression, due to unique features surrounding the perpetration of electronic aggression. Furthermore, researchers have treated electronic aggression as a categorical variable based on the assumption that “cyberbullies” constitute a distinct group of adolescents. …

The Effect Of Youth Diabetes Self-Efficacy On The Relation Among Family Conflict, Disease Care And Glycemic Control, Kathryn Maher

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the current study was to examine the associations among youth diabetes self-efficacy, family conflict, disease care and glycemic control via a comprehensive path model. Data were from a baseline assessment of a longitudinal RCT of 257 adolescent/parent dyads (adolescents aged 11–14). Each member of the dyad separately completed the Self-efficacy for Diabetes Self-Management Scale, Family Environment Conflict subscale, Diabetes Family Conflict Scale, Diabetes Behavior Rating Scale, and 24-hr Diabetes Interview Blood Glucose Frequency subscale. Additionally, a biological marker of glycemic control, or HbA1c, and relevant demographic variables were collected. A mediation model found higher youth diabetes self-efficacy …

Fathering And Child Maltreatment: A Grounded Theory Study, Jennifer Shadik

Theses and Dissertations

Literature related to fathers and child physical abuse and neglect is lacking (Guterman & Lee, 2005; Lee, Bellamy, & Guterman, 2009). The purpose of this study was to better understand several pertinent aspects of fathering related to maltreatment. Three research questions were examined: 1.What are the attitudes, behaviors and contexts of fathers who have abused or neglected a child that relate to maltreatment? 2. What are the resources and capacities of these fathers which could be capitalized on? 3. How does goodness-of-fit or a poor fit between the father and child impact the parenting relationships of these fathers? Fifteen fathers …

A Mixed-Methods Examination Of Racial Differences In Females' Perceptions And Experiences Of Sexual Objectification, Ellyn Leighton-Herrmann

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual objectification has become a pervasive problem, negatively affecting the mental and physical health of many women. Understanding the influence of visual media, social-support networks and social interactions on young women's health is essential to addressing issues related to objectification. We do not have an in-depth understanding of how Black and White young adult women make meaning of objectification. Further, the existing literature suggests that experiences of objectification are likely different for Black and White women. The current research employed two studies, one qualitative and one quantitative, to address these particular gaps. Study 1 used focus groups to assess young …

Examining The Role Of Unit Cohesion As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Warfare Exposure And Ptsd, Shaina Gulin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of warfare exposure and unit cohesion on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology among male and female National Guard and Reserve service members deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. National Guard and Reserve soldiers and female service members have been shown to be at greatest risk of psychological distress, and thus identification of resiliency factors among this population is worthy of further study. An emerging body of research has identified unit cohesion as a potentially modifiable protective factor against the deleterious effects of warfare exposure; however, such research is in its …

Present With An Uncertain Future: Dispositional Mindfulness, Covariation Bias, And Event-Related Potential Responses To Emotional Stimuli In Uncertain Contexts, Robert J. Goodman

Theses and Dissertations

Uncertainty represents a robust threat that can amplify aversive experiences and exaggerate negative expectations about uncertain future outcomes. Mindfulness – an open and receptive attention to present moment experiences -- has been shown to facilitate adaptive regulation when faced with a variety of distinct emotional threats. Reduced experiential avoidance and equanimity in the face of unpleasant emotional experiences have been theorized as central to these emotional regulatory benefits. The present study explored whether dispositional mindfulness would promote adaptive responses to uncertainty during the anticipation of, and after exposure to emotional stimuli, as indicated by self-reports and neural (event-related potential) markers …

Collaboration For The Common Good: Examining Americorps Programs Sponsored By Institutions Of Higher Education, Erin B. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The report, A Crucible Moment, published in 2012 by the National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement described a crisis in higher education surrounding the lack of civic learning and engagement opportunities for students. This crisis has led to decreased political participation and a general lack of knowledge in civics education (National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement, 2012). Educating students for citizenship in America’s colleges and universities will assist with sustaining the country’s democracy by engendering a sense of civic responsibility in young adults that will last throughout their lifetime. This qualitative case study …

Family Needs, Caregiver Burden, And Mental Health: Caregivers Of Individuals With Various Neurological Conditions From Colombia And Mexico, Megan Elizabeth Sutter

Theses and Dissertations

This cross-sectional study examined differences in family needs (informational, social, financial, health, and household support), caregiver mental health (depression, satisfaction with life, vitality, social functioning, and emotional role limitations), and caregiver burden (personal life, guilt, and psychological) among caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and dementia from cities in Colombia and Mexico (N = 343). The study also examined the connections among family needs, caregiver mental health, and caregiver burden in the combined sample of caregivers of individuals with neurological conditions. Many significant differences were identified among groups, and implications are discussed. Family …

Quality Of Life In Emerging Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Staci Carr

Theses and Dissertations

This study is focused on exploring quality of life in young adults in the autism spectrum and the factors that contribute to their own perception of satisfaction with their lives. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disability that is associated with deficits in social interaction and communication and with restricted and repetitive behaviors (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). There has been a documented increase in the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), making it to be one of the fastest growing diagnosed disabilities in children (Hartley-McAndrew, 2014). In the United States, the prevalence of ASD is approximately 1 in 68 children, …

Supporting Intrinsic Motivation And Public Service Motivation In The Local Government Sector: Evaluating The Effects Of Performance Appraisal Systems, Erin L. Luper

Theses and Dissertations

This study used an electronic questionnaire to evaluate the levels of intrinsic motivation, compared to extrinsic motivation, in front-line local government employees. This research also evaluated the relationship between intrinsic motivation and public service motivation (PSM). Further, this research assessed the effects of performance appraisal systems (PAS) on intrinsically motivated front-line local government employees.

Current research suggests that public sector employees are more intrinsically motivated than extrinsically motivated. This study found that, while the employees showed higher levels of intrinsic motivation over extrinsic motivation, most of the respondents showed moderately high levels of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Additionally, the …

The Role Of Authoritative Parenting In Type 1 Diabetes Adolescent Outcomes, Zach Radcliff

Theses and Dissertations

Due to psychosocial and hormonal changes, adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) are at risk for poorer regimen adherence, quality of life (QOL), and glycemic control (HbA1c). Authoritative parenting (AP) supports youth development during the transition into adolescence. To date, the mechanisms behind authoritative parenting and better HbA1c are yet to be examined. Parent-youth dyads completed measures of authoritative parenting, adherence, and QOL. As hypothesized, more authoritative parenting related to higher socioeconomic status (SES; β = -.13, p = .04) rather than ethnicity. Further, more authoritative parenting related to better glycemic control via the mechanisms of higher youth QOL (β …

Expanding Understanding Of Public Policy As A Complex And Pluri-Disciplinary System: Illustrating Possibilities Of Epistemic Pluralism, Cynthia Cors

Theses and Dissertations

Science, and especially the social sciences, has developed as distinct territories, each with its own vocabulary and language-game (Wittgenstein, 1945/1958). Yet understanding and explaining science as a complex and pluri-disciplinary system has important practitioner-oriented as well as research-oriented and other benefits, benefits that can be enhanced through the use of cloud-based technologies. Understanding and explaining public policy in particular as complex can inform and transform the way problems are approached. This is particularly important for an action subject like public policy and administration that can be considered as having been influenced by many disciplines. Public administration (PA) through multiple perspectives, …

Perceptions Of Control In Midwifery Assisted Childbirth: A Qualitative Examination Of The Midwifery Assisted Experience Of Childbearing, Sarah Jordan Keels

Theses and Dissertations

This study looks to uncover some of the reasons that the sub-group of women who give birth outside of a hospital setting, and the midwives who serve them, choose to have an alternative birth plan and are willing to undergo social criticism for their decision. This is a qualitative analysis based on interview data with women who utilized midwifery care and midwives themselves. In-depth interview questions focus on the decision to use a midwife, definitions of control in the prenatal and birthing experience, and any kind of facilitation midwifery is seen to give expectant mothers in relation to these concepts. …

Anthropogenic Ecological Impacts Of 17th And 18th Century Chickasaw Through A Study Of Faunal Remains, Marybeth Harte

Theses and Dissertations

A diachronic analysis of five faunal assemblages from Chickasaw sites is carried out to evaluate their anthropogenic ecological impacts during the colonial time period (A.D. 1650-1750). Change in faunal exploitation, diversity measures and disturbance taxa frequencies are analyzed to gauge these impacts. A comparison with late Mississippian period faunal use provides a benchmark to examine how shifts in the cultural system initiated new ecological impacts. Results from the faunal analysis are also compared with reports of faunal utilization and landscape management practices in the historical record. These reports provide a basis for assessing change in prey preferences according to the …

School Racial Climate And The Academic Achievement Of African American High School Students: The Mediating Role Of School Engagement, Charity Brown Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

African American students in K-12 education experience pervasive disparities in academic outcomes across all areas of the schooling experience. In order to understand the factors that promote academic achievement among individuals who face adversity, researchers have sought to examine how school environmental factors hold influence over students' academic adjustment. Drawing from an integrative model of development for ethnic minority children and a process model of engagement, this investigation explored whether three dimensions of school engagement, behavioral, emotional and cognitive, mediated relationships between school racial climate and academic performance and educational aspirations. These relationships were explored in a sample of 139 …

Identifying Identity: An Archaeological Investigation Of The Intersection Of Place And Identity At An African American Lowcountry Site, Katherine Elisabeth Goldberg

Theses and Dissertations

African and African American communities have faced pressures of marginalization and racism in the South Carolina Lowcountry since their arrival with Europeans in the seventeenth century. These pressures have been felt physically, socially, economically, politically, and even academically, through misrepresentations in historical portrayals. The field of historic archaeology is uniquely situated with access to informative sources from both the past and the present, and as such exhibits great potential in taking strides to replace the limiting presentation of a static and homogenous single African American culture with views that instead emphasize a focus on unique cultures and identities. This thesis …

Old English And Old Norse: An Inquiry Into Intelligibility And Categorization Methodology, Eric Martin Gay

Theses and Dissertations

To say that the Old English and Old Norse languages have an interesting history with one another is a declaration of utter understatement. So intertwined were these languages and their people that we, some 1,000 years later, are still attempting to discern the extent of their relationship with one another. As new evidence and the reevaluation of old evidence emerges, research in the historical Germanic languages continues to paint a clearer picture. However, the study of possible Old English and Old Norse mutual intelligibility is a subject that is comparatively new within the field, and as such is still exploring …

The State V. Perry: Comparative Newspaper Coverage Of South Carolina's Most Prominent Civil Rights Lawyer, Christopher G. Frear

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes news coverage of civil rights lawyer Matthew J. Perry Jr. by the South Carolina's largest newspaper, the (Columbia, SC) State at three points in his career as a lawyer, political candidate, and federal judge. At each point, Perry's legal and political work in the African American freedom struggle challenged the boundaries of the socially and politically legitimate in South Carolina and the Deep South. Perry negotiated the way forward with white officials. He helped African Americans achieve access to education, political office, and the administration of justice, and in the process helped reshape the racial caste system …

Taking Interests And International Conflict More Seriously, Chong-Han Wu

Theses and Dissertations

Democratic peace theory provides theoretical and empirical arguments of the importance about democratic institutions in shaping and promoting the global order. Yet critics propose that it is the similarity of policy interests that prevent conflict between the joint democracies instead of the effects of regime types (Gartzke 1998; Oneal and Russet 1999c; Russett, Oneal and Davis 1998; Gartzke 2000). Scholars mainly question whether interests directly cause peace or interests are indirectly caused by liberal variables, such as trade or international organizations. This debate has no obvious conclusion, but it encourages students of conflict studies to pay more attention to the …

Microfinance And Poverty Reduction: How Risks Associated With Government Policies Affect Whether Microfinance Alleviates Poverty In Latin-America, Brian Warby

Theses and Dissertations

The expansion of financial services to the poor, now widely referred to as microfinance, quickly saw tremendous success in Bangladesh beginning in the 1970's and was exported to a number of other countries. For a time microfinance was spoken of as a panacea, in part because it is more detached from governments than other forms of poverty alleviation. I develop a model based on expected utility theory that looks at how risks associated with government policies and characteristics affect whether this mechanism eases poverty. Using a large N analysis of Latin-American states from 1990-2010 and a case study analysis to …

Non-Native Speaker Attentional Capacity And The Processing Of English Phrasal Verb Constructions, Aubrey Dillard

Theses and Dissertations

The effect of syntactic and semantic complexity on attention and processing in second language acquisition (SLA) has long been of interest to both practitioners and researchers of SLA. Theoretical models of attention in SLA (Schmidt 1990, Tomlin and Villa 1994, Robinson 1995) have spurred a great deal of empirical research in the field, and VanPatten's (1994, 2004, 2007) work on the effect of attention to form and meaning on comprehension of input has been very influential in the field. From a language processing viewpoint, Clahsen and Felser (2006, 2009) have hypothesized that the different ways in which native and nonnative …