Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Evaluating The Effects Of Technology-Based Self-Monitoring And Contingency Mapping On The Disruptive Behavior Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alexandra R. Pruitt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Self-monitoring (SM) is an evidence-based self-management procedure that can improve behavior and academic performance across diverse populations and settings. However, results of a meta-analysis of SM on strategy use and academic performance of K-12 and higher education students suggest that SM is more effective when it is embedded into a multi-component intervention. Contingency mapping (CM), a visual representation of contingencies in effect for desirable and undesirable behaviors, has been shown to improve behavior (e.g., increase social communication skills, increase on-task behavior) in the clinical and school settings. Previous research has not evaluated the effects of a treatment package consisting of …

Skill Acquisition: Evaluation Of Instructional Procedures, Ellen I. Ratliff

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Identifying effective and efficient interventions is essential for establishing independent responding in learners with autism spectrum disorder and related developmental disabilities. The present study replicated and extended Gorgan and Kodak (2019) by comparing differential reinforcement, most-to-least prompt fading, and extended response interval procedures for teaching novel skills to three children with autism spectrum disorder who did not demonstrate prompt-dependent responding. Using an adapted alternating treatments design, each intervention was evaluated against a control condition with an equated opportunity interval. Extensions to prior research included conducting a reinforcer assessment to verify differentiation in stimulus potency, modifying the controlling prompt assessment to …

Examining The Impact Of A Positive Psychology Service-Learning Experience On Undergraduates’ Mental Health And Career Intentions, Cydney E. Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Universities currently face a growing public health concern regarding college students’ mental health and well-being (Hobbs et al., 2022; Sheldon et al., 2021). Given this, research has explored experiences that are advantageous for students’ overall well-being, including courses on positive psychology and service-learning experiences that may promote flourishing (Hobbs et al., 2022; Maples et al., 2022). Service-learning is also well situated to support undergraduate career development (Collison & Eck, 2022). Kranzler et al. (2011) described how the pedagogical approach of service-learning aligns well with positive psychology, leading them to implement a positive psychology service-learning course. However, to date, no study …

Heritage Without Equity: Afro-Descendant Representation, State Governance, Museums And The Limits Of Cultural Policy In Belize, Sherilyne L. Jones

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how heritage governance in Belize shapes the representation, recognition, and participation of Afro-descendant communities within national cultural institutions and policy frameworks. Focusing on Creole/Kriol and Garifuna communities, the study analyses how law, institutional designs, museum practises, tourism development, and community-based heritage work to produce uneven forms of cultural visibility. I argue that Afro-descendant communities are not absent from Belizean heritage. Rather, their cultural presence has not consistently translated into institutional authority, sustained investments, or meaningful participation in decisions about national representation. Drawing on critical heritage theory, critical museology, post-colonial scholarship, and the concept of authorised heritage discourse, …

Trauma-Informed Care In Residential Settings: Staff Perceptions And The Impact Of The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce Model With Trauma-Informed Principles, Marissa L. Del Vecchio

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Trauma-informed care (TIC) has been recognized as a critical framework for supporting individuals on the autism spectrum, intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and those within residential facilities given their heightened risk for experiencing adverse events, including trauma. However, the development and evaluation of a trauma-informed behavior analytic assessment and intervention approach is lacking. Although behavior analysts frequently target behaviors associated with trauma, research suggests that many practitioners have limited training, supervision and competence in TIC, despite widespread recognition of its importance. The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) model may be a promising approach to address these limitations, as its practices align closely with …

Evaluating The Role Of Individual Differences: Impact On Fruit And Vegetable Intake Outcomes In Nourish-T+ Caregivers Of Pediatric Cancer Survivors, Sandra Soca Lozano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric cancer survivors are at increased risk for obesity and related long-term health complications, highlighting the need for interventions promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors during survivorship. The present study examined caregivers’ fruit and vegetable intake in the full NOURISH-T+ intervention and evaluated whether their dietary outcomes changed from baseline to the 3-month post-assessment and differed by selected caregiver sociodemographic characteristics. The study also examined whether these characteristics accounted for variance in 3-month fruit and vegetable outcomes. Participants included 68 caregivers in the full NOURISH-T+ condition who completed both baseline and 3-month post-assessments. Fruit and vegetable intake was assessed using the Healthy …

Interpreting Discrepant Multi-Informant Data: Examining School Psychologists’ Decision-Making Processes With Social-Emotional And Behavioral Assessment, Thomas Koza

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Multi-informant assessment is a common method used by school psychologists to collect data on students' social-emotional and behavioral concerns across the three tiers of the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework. While this data can provide a comprehensive understanding of student functioning, informant discrepancies are common, and little is known about how school psychologists make sense of discrepant data or whether using structured frameworks can support their interpretation. This dissertation used an experimental mixed-methods design with vignettes to examine how school psychologists interpret discrepant multi-informant social-emotional and behavioral assessment data and whether exposure to a structured framework influenced this process. …

The Development And Evaluation Of The Functional Analysis Screening Tool For Athletic Performance (Fast-Ap), Sharayah S. M. Tai

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a growing focus of ABA within sports performance, however, there is a lack of standardized assessments to aid in the development of individualized programming for athletes that is based on the behavior-reinforcing effects to promote optimal athletic performance. The Functional Analysis Screening Tool for Athletic Performance (FAST-AP) is a 16-item questionnaire developed to identify environmental variables that influence athletic performance and identify strategies that can be used to improve motivation and performance of athletes. This allows for the development of function-based interventions and identifying individualized coaching strategies to improve motivation and increase athletic performance more consistently overtime. Study …

Mapping Seafloor Habitats And Characterizing Demersal Reef Fish Communities On The West Florida Shelf Across Multiple Spatial Scales Using Multibeam Sonar And Underwater Video, Alexander R. Ilich

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I examine the role of spatial scale in deriving seafloor terrain attributes, modeling benthic habitat, and analyzing ecological patterns of the demersal reef fish communities on the West Florida Shelf (WFS), with implications for improving predictive habitat mapping and understanding fish-environment relationships. Spatial scale plays a central role in benthic habitat mapping and ecological inference, influencing how terrain attributes are derived, how habitats are modeled, and how ecological responses are manifested. This work integrates multiscale terrain analysis, acoustic remote sensing, and community ecology to evaluate how spatial scale influences both physical habitat representation and ecological analysis.

Chapter …

Association Of Social Isolation, Loneliness, Social Strain And Support With Cancer Onset, And Frailty And All-Cause Mortality In People With Cancer, Joanne Elayoubi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cancer is the second leading cause of death both in the United States and globally and for individuals over sixty-five. In 2026, approximately 2,114,850 new cancer cases are projected to emerge according to the National Center for Health Statistics (Siegel et al., 2026). Cancer incidence is increasing, making older adults sixty-five and older at risk of frailty and mortality following cancer. Although social isolation, loneliness, lack of social support, and social strain have been found to be risk factors for poor health and mortality, it is not clear the extent to which social relationships are associated with incident cancer, and …

Race, Ethnic, And Gender Disparities In Human Trafficking Risk, Identification, And Investigation, Emily D. Walker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Youth and human trafficking remain significant and complex issues. Existing literature suggests that trafficking risk, victimization, and identification are shaped by structural and social context, creating differential impacts across demographic groups, such as racial, ethnic, and gendered groups. Yet, current research has yet to fully capture the complexity of victimization across groups. This dissertation consists of three interconnected studies examining youth trafficking investigations. Using a mixed-methods approach and administrative data from Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), this dissertation address three objectives (1) examining potential variation in documentation of trafficking risk, victimization, and narrative framing of youth trafficking investigations …

Examining The Referral Pathway For Black Families Evaluated Through The Early Steps Program, Zelda Fleming

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that for children with or at risk for developmental delays, early intervention services are associated with improvements in academic and cognitive skills by the time they reach kindergarten (Atkins et al., 2020; Litt et al., 2017). Untreated developmental delays are linked to early school failure and social and emotional problems (Sher et al., 2020). Black children are 5 times less likely to receive early intervention services when compared to their White peers (Barnard-Brak et al., 2021; Feinberg et al.,2011). Thus, they often do not have the opportunity to receive early intervention services. The literature in this area suggests …

Man Down: Exploring Identity, Uncertainty And Resilience In An Autoethnographic Performance Of Prostate Cancer As Applied Health Communication, Kevin Hawley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation study was to explore how an autoethnographic performance of my experience of prostate cancer could serve as a method of applied health communication, designed to encourage men to be screened for prostate cancer. One in eight men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. However, while the incidence rate of prostate cancer is increasing—particularly of advanced-stage disease—the number of men choosing to be screened is declining (American Cancer Society, 2025).This study explores the barriers to men being screened, both in the literature and in my personal experience. Among those …

Development And Initial Validation Of The Identifying Behavioral And Emotional Growth Indicators And Needs—Parent Rating (I-Begin-P), Samin Khallaghi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Multi-informant approaches provide a more comprehensive understanding of behavior patterns and are considered the gold standard for behavioral assessment. However, few screening tools for young children in school settings incorporate parental perspectives, and those that do remain under-researched with respect to their validity and reliability. To address these gaps, the Identifying Behavioral and Emotional Growth Indicators and Needs-Parent Form (I-BEGIN-P) was developed as an extension of the I-BEGIN-T (Teacher) scale for children aged 3 to 5 years. The purpose of this study was to develop and initially validate I-BEGIN-P. First, the content validity of I-BEGIN-P was assessed using expert panel …

Disclosing Hunger: Predictors And Screening Strategies For Food Insecurity In Undergraduate University Students And Adults Contexts, Jocelyn Emily Jarvis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food insecurity is a growing public health concern among college students in the United States, with prevalence estimates exceeding those of the general population. Despite the availability of campus, community, and federal food assistance resources, utilization remains low, suggesting that barriers extend beyond structural access. This dissertation examines the psychosocial, behavioral, and institutional factors that shape food insecurity disclosure and help-seeking behaviors among undergraduate students, guided by the Social Ecological Model (SEM).

This work includes three complementary studies. Study One presents a scoping review synthesizing 16 U.S.-based studies to identify psychosocial determinants of food assistance utilization among food-insecure adults. Findings …

Disability Stigma, Disability Identity, And Psychological Distress Among Young Adults With Disabilities, Dylan G. Serpas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Disability discrimination is positively associated with psychological distress. Internalized disability stigma or the extent to which negative beliefs about one’s disability become personally adopted is implicated as a mediator. Moreover, disability identity processes, including identity affirmation and rejection may shape downstream consequences of navigating disability discrimination and internalization processes. These relationships are particularly relevant among young adults with disabilities (YAWD) who navigate a critical developmental period characterized by identity formation and heightened perception to social evaluation. In this study, 233 YAWD aged 18 to 25 completed a cross-sectional survey measuring disability microaggressions, internalized disability stigma, disability identity (rejection and affirmation), …

Can Hope Be Changed In 30 Minutes? The Development, Refinement, And Pilot Evaluation Of A Hope-Based Single-Session Intervention, Aileen Kangavary

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Although mental health problems are on the rise among youth, nearly 80% do not access treatment. Schools serve as key settings to address adolescent mental health and wellness needs given the substantial barriers that limit access to community-based mental health services. Despite this potential, schools often face implementation challenges. Therefore, scalable and accessible approaches are needed to meet the growing demand for adolescent mental health support. Single-Session Interventions (SSIs) represent a promising, cost-effective, and digital avenue for providing timely mental health support to youth. Increasingly, research conceptualizes mental health through a two-dimensional framework that includes the presence of well-being …

Under Pressure: Effects Of The Hot Docs Behavioral Parent Training Program On Caregiver Blood Pressure, Bria N. Ferera

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chronic stress is heightened for caregivers of children with heightened disruptive behaviors. With chronic stress supported as a major factor leading to maladaptive parenting and caregiving practices, exploring new ways to collect data on parenting stress remains a critical research priority (van der Lubbe et al., 2024). Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) programs are linked to improved parent-child relationships and reduced problem behavior (Armstrong, 2006; Agazzi, 2021; Patrusky, 2025). However, few studies have used physiological biomarkers in conjunction with self-reported measures to explore connections in this area. Similarly, other physiological considerations are rarely considered upon evaluation of the impacts of BPT …

Where Diagnosis Meets Daily Life: Testing Theoretical Models Of Social Anxiety, Jessica A. Birg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is thought to persist through self-reinforcing cycles linking threat perception, fear of evaluation, avoidance, and social behavior. This dissertation examined whether the nature of these daily processes generalize across individuals, cluster into subgroups, or vary by social anxiety severity. Two ecological momentary assessment (EMA) studies were conducted: a community sample with and without SAD (Study 1: N = 96; five prompts per day across two 14-day bursts) and an undergraduate sample (Study 2: N = 129; six prompts per day across 14 days). Momentary variables included social anxiety, avoidance motivation, and threat and safety cues (hurt …

A System Dynamics Perspective Of User Adaptation: The Case Of Exoskeleton Technology, Enzo Novi Migliano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Technology implementation is a common occurrence in organizations to which workers must adapt. Although research on workers' technology acceptance is widely spread, research on the workers' technology adaptation process is less represented in the literature. The discrepancy in the literature permeates research on new technologies currently being implemented in organizations, such as occupational exoskeletons. As in other technologies, the variance research perspective dominates the literature on exoskeleton implementations. The current thesis aims to foster process research by formalizing the coping model of user adaptation (Beaudry & Pinsonneault, 2005) and exploring research questions regarding workers' adaptation to general technology and exoskeletons. …

In Search Of Protective Factors Against Gun-Carrying For Black Male Youth: A Dissertation- Sectional And Longitudinal Analysis Of Secondary Data, Kevin Edward Antwi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between risk and protective factors and gun carrying among Black male youth using both individual-level and population-averaged effects. Grounded in the risk and protective factors framework and the ecological systems model, the study explores how protective factors at the individual, peer, school, and community levels influence gun carrying at a single point in time and over time. This research aligns with the Grand Challenges of Social Work by preventing gun violence and informing prevention efforts. Using the baseline and 11 waves of data from the Pathways to Desistance Study, the analysis identifies factors that reduce …

“He’S Got The Whole World In His Hands”: Seed Sovereignty And Agricultural Decision Making In Southeastern Kenya, Caroline Stahley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increasing corporate control of the global seed supply and restrictions to local exchange threaten the autonomy of smallholder farmers and Indigenous communities. This project contributes to agricultural sovereignty movements by examining the decisions farmers make to address climate uncertainty, market volatility, and development agendas. Specifically, how is seed saving practiced and understood in relation to sovereignty? It reimagines what global food systems might look like if investment were directed to producers rather than intermediaries, arguing that cultivators lack support, not knowledge or capacity. Across these domains, seeds act as a motif to describe the concerns, innovations, and visions of farmers.

Mental Health Service Utilization Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Secondary Analysis Of The 2021–2022 National Survey Of Children's Health, Emma N. Barnes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently experience co-occurring emotional, behavioral, and mental health concerns that increase the need for accessible behavioral health services. Although schools often serve as an important point of access for behavioral health support, disparities in service utilization continue to exist. Limited national research has examined recent patterns of mental health service utilization among children with ASD using updated nationally representative data.

The purpose of this study was to examine mental health service utilization among children with ASD and determine whether utilization differed across demographic and socioeconomic groups. Secondary data from the 2021–2022 National Survey of …

Using The Good Behavior Game To Decrease Challenging Behavior In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Andrea M. Babb

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Challenging behavior in school settings can negatively impact academic engagement, social relationships, and access to instruction. Previous research has shown that the Good Behavior Game (GBG) can improve academic performance and decrease challenging behavior. Generally, to play the GBG, the teacher establishes a set of rules (e.g., “remain seated during the lecture”) that the students should follow and divides the class into two teams. When a student on either team breaks a rule, the teacher gives that team a tally or hatch mark. The team with the fewest tallies at the end of the game wins a prize. The current …

Evaluating The Effects Of Response Cards On Active Student Responding And On-Task Behavior With Elementary Students Diagnosed With Autism And Other Disabilties, Joshua N. Alvarado

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One of the most prominent difficulties that students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face in their education is consistently engaging in on-task behavior and active participation during whole-class group instruction. The use of response cards is one method that has been demonstrated to have beneficial effects for increasing on-task behavior and active participation for students with disabilities. However, there is limited research on effects with students diagnosed with ASD, particularly elementary students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of two response card types to increase active student responding, on-task behavior and correct responding for elementary …

Testing The Impact Of Sexual Minority Stress On Endorsement Of Prospective Behaviors Related To Borderline Personality Disorder Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Queer Adults, E. Elisa Carsten

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sexual minority individuals face increased risk for numerous forms of psychopathology compared to heterosexual individuals, including borderline personality disorder (BPD). Previous investigation into the causes of these mental health disparities highlights several sexual minority-specific factors that may render sexual minority individuals uniquely vulnerable to meeting criteria for a BPD diagnosis, including chronic exposure to minority stressors, such as sexual orientation-based discrimination and stigmatizing beliefs. Some scholars have argued that the relevance of these minority-specific stressful experiences hampers the utility of a BPD diagnosis among members of this historically marginalized population. The present study experimentally tested the influence of minority stressors …

Evaluating Some Effects Of Exposure To Prompt Topographies On Intraverbal Acquisition Rates And Choice For Prompt Topographies, Isabella Zaccor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

People with developmental disabilities often have communication deficits, which create challenges with functioning in everyday life, making it more difficult for these people to foster meaningful relationships and live an independent life. People with developmental disabilities may need a more structured approach to learning important skills such as communication and social skills, such as learning with prompt topographies. By replicating Roncati et al. 2019, which evaluated exposure to prompt topographies and the effect on acquisition rates, we evaluated an adapted alternating treatments design within a multiple baseline across participants design to examine whether exposure to a specific prompt topography changed …

Discourse Production And Its Relationship To Cognition In Mild Aphasia, Marcy D. Edwards

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objective:Standardized assessments such as the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised do not reliably detect subtle language impairments in mild aphasia (Dalton & Richardson, 2015). Discourse tasks may provide a more sensitive measure of impairment. Although discourse tasks differ in cognitive demands (Kim & Kintz, 2024), variation in discourse performance across tasks and the influence of cognition remains unclear. Therefore, this study examined (1) whether discourse performance differs across different discourse elicitation tasks, and (2) the extent to which cognition influences discourse performance in individuals with mild aphasia.

Participants & Methods: Fifteen participants with mild aphasia participated (mean age = 62.7 years). Discourse …

Exploring Menstrual Cycle Experiences And Well-Being In Young Women With Type 1 Diabetes, Yolanda Rotzinger Ballesteros

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Young women with type 1 diabetes (T1D) navigate complex physical, emotional, and social challenges, being at a higher risk for mental health concerns (e.g., depression), as well as physical (e.g., fatigue) and cognitive (e.g., focus) symptoms related to the management of their chronic health condition (Dantzer et al., 2003; Northam et al., 2005). About one-third of young women with T1D experience some form of menstrual dysfunction (Griffin et al., 1994; Schweiger et al., 2011), which is associated with lower quality of life across several domains, including the educational setting (Knox et al., 2015). Nevertheless, there is a gap in the …

Moving Through Disasters: Spatial Analysis And Modeling Of Evacuation, Migration, And Socioeconomic Selectivity In The United States, Xiang Li

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Disasters increasingly affect population movement in the United States, but their relationships with mobility and migration at various spatio-temporal scales are not fully understood. Disaster-related movement may appear as short-term evacuation during hazardous events, long-term migration after major or repeated disaster exposure, or selective redistribution across socio-economic groups. Therefore, this dissertation aims to address three main questions: 1) What are the spatial patterns of evacuation, and how do evacuation rates vary across space during a major disaster? 2) To what extent are natural disasters associated with long-term human migration patterns in the United States, and how can their contributions be …