Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Information Research Practices, Fall 2010 – Pretest Summary Results, Jackie Lauer-Glebov

Staff and Faculty Work

Jackie Lauer-Glebov presented Information Research Practices Survey Results

Stigma Reduction Techniques/Campaigns For Practitioners In A Rural Community Mental Health Practice, Becky Mensing

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project was to systematically review the literature on the negative effects of stigma on the therapy seeking clients of rural mental health centers. Also to provide information on anti-stigma campaign efforts. The goal of anti-stigma programs are to create awareness about how stigma affects people with mental illnesses, and to have participants develop a sense of what it means to walk in the shoes of a person with mental illness (Corrigan, 2004, p. 19). The research question was how do we help people from being victimized by the prejudice and discrimination that arises from stigma?

The Role And Positioning Of Public Relations In Non Profit Organisations: A Case Study Analysis, Gillian Lyons

Theses

This study aims to explore the role and positioning of public relations (PR) in non-profit organisations (NPO’s). Two case studies are explored namely the Mercy Hospital Foundation and the Cork Simon Community. The lack of research in the area along with the belief that NPOs rely on PR more than any other industry prompted the research idea for this study.

The literature review deals with the need for PR to be accepted as a management function with many leading theorists agreeing on the matter. According to Grunig (1992), the organisational effectiveness theories provide organisations with the formula to make their …

Can The Effectiveness Of An Online Tourism Public Relations Campaign Be Evaluated?, Deirdre Mangan

Theses

The practice of public relations has changed dramatically in the past fifteen years, embracing a variety of new media tools in a fast changing, global market. New and social media have radically altered the work of public relations practitioners. One aspect of this which gives rise to much debate is evaluating the effectiveness of online public relations campaigns.

Travel and tourism is an industry that has been changed fundamentally by the internet. This industry led the way with online reservations and information systems. Online public relations followed this innovation. The aim of this study is to look at the process …

Oregon Department Of Administrative Services Customer And Employee Survey Results, Masami Nishishiba, Mariah Ann Kraner, Charlene Zil, Dennis Kurtz

Center for Public Service Publications and Reports

In order to obtain input from DAS customers and employees, the Department of Administrative Services (DAS), in partnership with the Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) at Portland State University, and Pivotal Resources Inc, conducted two surveys: one for customers and one for DAS employees. The purpose of the survey was to provide information to the HB 5002 External Working Group, and to inform and guide the change initiative at DAS.

The web-based customer survey was sent to State of Oregon employees electronically. Approximately 15,000 state employees and board members received the e-mail inviting them to participate in the customer survey. 1,656 …

Clackamas County Alternate Work Week Pilot Project, Masami Nishishiba, Jana Bitton, Dennis Kurtz, Charlene Zil

Center for Public Service Publications and Reports

In November 2008, Clackamas County, Oregon began a one-year pilot program: switching employees to an alternate four-day work week, with 10-hour workdays (typically 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday). About 828 of Clackamas County's 1,800 employees were affected by the program, which does not extend to emergency service providers.

This report summarizes the evaluation of Clackamas County’s alternate work week pilot project based on the data collected between November 2008 and July 2009.

Who Shares? Managerial Knowledge Transfer Practices In British Columbia's Ministry Of Health Services, Gwendolyn Elizabeth Lock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The British Columbia government's Ministry of Health Services will experience significant loss of operational knowledge from an aging managerial workforce, increased staff turnover, and difficulties in recruitment. The purpose of this study is to provide the ministry's Strategic Human Resources Planning branch staff with a map and description of knowledge transfer practices used by approximately 40 managers within the ministry's Health Sector Information Management/Information Technology division and its Vital Statistics Agency. The study is a mixed-methods case study of knowledge retention and transfer practices founded on a knowledge management and social network theoretical foundation. To understand the ministry's complex nature …

Emerging Adults' Perceptions Of Learning In An Undergraduate Student Organization For Global Social Justice, Patricia Marie Kean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current literature suggests the institution of higher education is exploring its identity and role in society, much like the emerging adults who enroll in their programs as traditional aged undergraduates. Literature also reveals that society is asking undergraduate institutions to meet the diverse needs of its students and prepare them for adulthood and life long learning. However, research also highlights the need for students to be educated for participation within an interconnected and complex global society able to facilitate positive social change. Using a developmental lens, this interpretive case study addressed these current needs through interpreting perceptions of undergraduates and …

Intraracial, Intergenerational Conflict And The Victimization Of African American Adults By African American Youth, Katherine E. James

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black on Black victimization amongst inner-city African American youth is a well-documented phenomenon. Less understood are the shared lived experiences of inner-city, middle-aged African Americans who have been victims of crimes perpetrated by African American youth. The purpose of this study was to understand the lived, shared experience of this population. Social ecological theory, psychological sense of community, and crisis theory served as the theoretical frameworks for the study. A qualitative method of phenomenological inquiry was used to gain insight into the meaning ascribed to the victimization experiences, as well as the resulting thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, and life-impacting implications. In-person, …

Attitudes Of Southern Baptist Pastors Toward Professional Counseling, Stanley Paul Vespie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While clergy are at the forefront of providing mental health counseling services, many lack confidence in their ability to provide adequate care for those suffering mental health issues and many, across denominations, question the validity and reliability of mental health counseling and are reluctant to make referrals to professional counselors. There remains a gap in the current research literature regarding the views of Southern Baptist pastors. Using conflict theory as the framework for this study, the purpose of this exploratory quantitative study was to determine how 225 Southern Baptist pastors' conservative views, church size, and educational level (the independent variables) …

Making Sense Of Exit Exam Policies: A Phenomenological Study Of English Language Development Teachers, Scott N. Forrest

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a lack of understanding regarding how sensemaking could be incorporated into a professional development program to improve teacher quality and student achievement. The lived experiences of high school English language development teachers as they interpret English language development and one state's high school exit exam instructional policies were explored in this phenomenological study. The conceptual framework that supported this study is based on the theory of sensemaking, the processes by which educators interpret and implement policies. The participants were English language development teachers of English learners who have not yet passed the exit exam. Data were collected through …

Incarcerated Adults Sentenced In Adult Criminal Court While Juveniles: Knowledge, Understanding, And Perceptions Of Their Sentences, Karen Miner-Romanoff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An estimated 200,000 juveniles are tried as adults yearly and receive punitive sentences intended to deter juvenile crime and increase public safety. Few qualitative studies on juveniles sentenced as adults and contradictory results indicate a need for further research. This study used a qualitative, phenomenological interpretive design, with the conceptual frameworks of general and specific deterrence and rational choice theories. In-depth interviews took place with 12 incarcerated adults serving sentences (24--540 months) for juvenile crimes. The research questions explored their knowledge of transfer laws and adult sentencing and perceptions of deterrence from future criminal activity. Coding of transcripts and audio …

National Survey On Equine Assisted Therapy: An Exploratory Study Of Current Practitioners And Programs, Patricia J. Mcconnell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Equine facilitated psychotherapy (EFP), a new field in psychology, is an alternative method of therapy that uses horses to facilitate therapeutic outcomes. There is minimal peer reviewed literature and few published studies examining efficacy. The conceptual lens of this study was grounded theory, as there is insufficient evidence of theoretical frame-works guiding equine assisted therapy. The purpose of this exploratory concurrent mixed methods study was to examine the theoretical foundation of practitioners; program make up; client populations; efficacy of program; and why the horse serves as the therapeutic catalyst of this model. A 43-item survey was sent to 800 programs, …

The Impact Of Symptom Severity On Parent-Child Interaction And Relationships Among Children With Autism, Nicole M. Beurkens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent estimates indicate that 1 in 100 children in the United States is diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Although research has demonstrated the bidirectional nature of parentchild relations, the effect of child autism symptom severity on parent-child interaction and overall relationships has not yet been explored. This study examined the impact of child symptom severity in children ages 4-15 years, as measured by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), on parent-child interaction, as measured by the Dyadic Coding Scale (DCS), and parent-child relationships, as measured by the Parent Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI). The bidirectional model of socialization informs the study, …

Esl Work Readiness Curriculum Survey, Lynda Devine

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Minnesota has seen a 120% increase in immigration between 2003 & 2009. Since work is an integral aspect of quality of life in the USA, and in order to successfully integrate into the USA workforce, the new arrivals will need assistance in gaining USA work related skills .The CLUES agency contracts with Ramsey County, MN for its Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) clients. The contract includes providing job skill training to persons for whom English is a Second Language (ESL). CLUES chose to create an ESL Work Readiness curriculum that was meaningful and linguistically appropriate for the participants while meeting …

A "Pawsitive" Influence Of Animals In Long-Term Care Facilities: Animal-Assisted Therapy At St. Peter Regional Treatment Center, Hannah L. Winkler

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The St. Peter Regional Treatment Center (SPRTC) provides secure, residential, multi-disciplinary treatment services, including psychosocial rehabilitation and skill enhancement, to individuals civilly committed as Mental Ill and Dangerous by the State of Minnesota. Since the treatment process is so comprehensive at SPRTC, patients may spend several years receiving in-patient treatment.

Since SPRTC does not currently have an animal-assisted therapy (AAT) program, the purpose of this project was to research existing AAT programs being implemented with similar patient populations as a way to inform SPRTC staff of possible programs they could implement on their campus. The overall goal of this project …

Identity Construction In Multicultural States: Ethnic Group Mobilization And Public Policy, Christopher G. Anderson, Brent E. Sasley

Political Science Faculty Publications - Archive

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Examining Responses To Theological Affiliation And Disaffiliation: Boundary Conditions And Causal Processes, Melisa A. Barden

Psychology Dissertations - Archive

The current study was aimed at examining responses toward theological affiliation and disaffiliation for believers in God and non-believers in God. The current study compared the reactions toward each of four possible classifications of the target group member by manipulating the target's past and present theological belief status: ingroup member, joiner, defector, or outgroup member. The sample included 268 undergraduates (believers in God [n = 150]; non-believers in God [n = 118]) at a public university in the southern US. Participants believed another person was also participating in the study and rated the target individual on a variety of overt …

Investigating The Optical Signals In The Brain And Spinal Cord During Nociception, Ji Wei He

Psychology Dissertations - Archive

Neuroimaging technologies have been widely used to study brain functioning based on a tight correlation between neurons and neighboring vasculature during neural activation, called neurovascular coupling. However, many studies suggested some degree of uncoupling. Optical techniques are unique tools to directly measure tissue oxygen dynamics and other physiological parameters to reflect local metabolism. The objective of my dissertation was to seek for biomarkers of pain in the brain and spinal cord. Two distinct optical methods were used in an in vivo rat model, including a diffuse optical imager to monitor the whole brain-scaled hemodynamics and a fiber optic system to …

How Age Of First Dating Experience, Number Of Dating Partners, And Length Of Relationship Relates To Dating Violence Victimization, Marcella Smith

Social Work Theses - Archive

Dating violence is a serious social and health problem for young adolescent in many parts of the world. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between three independent variables: (1) age of first dating experience; (2) number of dating partners; and (3) length of dating relationships with one dependent variable: (1) dating violence victimization among African American middle school youths. A review of the literature indicated conflicting results regarding the relationship between each independent variable and the dependent variables. One-way ANOVA was used to identify the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The results of this …

A Systematic Review Of The Literature On The Association Between Evidence-Based Adhd Treatment And Later Adolescent/Adult Substance Abuse, Jaime Higgins

Social Work Theses - Archive

Objective: There has been much controversy over prescribing stimulant medication to treat the symptoms of childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This study aims to explore the relationship between prescribing stimulant and non-stimulant medication for the treatment of childhood ADHD and future substance abuse in adolescents and young adulthood. Method: A systematic review of all ten studies that met inclusion criteria was conducted testing whether stimulant treatment of ADHD reduces or increases the risk for future substance use, abuse and dependency. Results: Ten studies were critically appraised for high methodological quality. ADHD was found to be a high risk for …

An Exploratory Study Of Sex Selective Abortion Among Indian Immigrants In The United States, Jill Tucker

Social Work Theses - Archive

This qualitative study sought to explore the transmission of and motivation for sex-selective abortion among Indian immigrants in the United States. Using a theoretical framework incorporating social learning theory and self-determination theory, the research design consisted of semi-structured interviews of 20 married Indian immigrant women. Based on an analysis of these interviews, the following emergent themes were discovered: "Problems for and from Girls", "Dowry", "Education (lack of)", "Familial Pressure", "Familial Preference", "Familial Ties", "Inheritance", "Son's Duty", "Money", "Name Carried Forward", and "Want a Boy". Theoretical and social work practice implications based on the findings of the study were discussed. While …

Expanding Beyond The Foundations Of Decision-Making: Perceptual Differences Of Risk Between Resources, Patrick A. Ramirez

Psychology Theses - Archive

This research examined how resources such as life, food, and money are calculated in decision-making. Presently, the field assumes that various types of resources have the same value when a choice is being made. The study tested the assumption by comparing how individuals responded to two similar sunk cost scenarios (investing in a failing venture) where one task situation dealt with money and the other situation concerned life decisions. There were three hypotheses tested in this experiment. The first hypothesis predicted that participants would make more investments for an ill pet when compared with a failing business, which was confirmed. …

Implementing Oral English Language Acquisition Policy In Career And Technical Education Classes: Changing To A Social Pedagogy Paradigm, Kelley Crockett

Public Affairs Dissertations - Archive

AbstractImplementing Oral English Language Acquisition Policy in Career and Technical Classes: Changing to a Social Pedagogy ParadigmKelley E. Crockett, PhDThe University of Texas at Arlington, 2010Supervising Professor: Dr. Rod Hissong Federal and state policies have long sought to address the social inequities faced by limited English proficient (LEP) students through the improvement of English language acquisition. English language acquisition policy has focused on access to resources, qualified teachers, and instructional methodologies (e.g. pedagogy) that create a learning environment conducive to increased proficiency in English language attainment. A challenge to the successful implementation of these policies is an incremental approach to …

The Impact Of Familial Instability On Adolescent Behavioral Outcomes, Stephen N. Baldridge

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

As the definition of what is considered a family changes in our society, the family unit itself continues to undergo changes. These changes can sometimes lead to decreased stability within the family unit. This study focused on how this instability impacts adolescents who are brought up in unstable families, specifically within the context of their behavioral outcomes. Variables surrounding family stability as well as several indicators of maladaptive behavioral outcomes were used to measure this concept. This study used a longitudinal, non-experimental approach, guided by a comprehensive literature review and the theoretical application to Skinner's theory of applied behavior.

Nonprofit Employee Recognition: An Intrinsically-Based Program, Alicia Barker

Social Work Theses - Archive

This study hypothesizes that nonprofit employees will choose non-monetary motivational factors based on intrinsic values over monetary factors such as better pay, benefits, etc. when asked what is most important. Limited funding plays an important role in dictating the means of recognizing employees who have gone above and beyond their expected job duties. Both qualitative and quantitative methods have been used in order to gather the most comprehensive data. A group interview was conducted to assist in generating ideas with regards to an intrinsically-based recognition program. A job motivational survey was distributed amongst the employees in order to understand the …

A Report On The Strategic Economic Development Plan For North Richland Hills 2011., Fatema Ali, Elizabeth Bowlen, Shon Brooks, Danielle Guillory, William Neely, Julius Owino

Public Administration Capstone Reports - Archive

The City of North Richland Hills requested that the student team make a comparative analysis of business development and retention practices in cities of comparable size. In order to suggest strategies to attract and retain businesses in North Richland Hills, the team was requested to conduct research within the business community and communicate with developers and industry leaders. Qualitative findings were compared and are presented in this report along with academic research on business development in the North Texas area. The team found that the strategy in North Richland Hills is similar to that of the other communities in the …

Evaluation Of A Web-Phone Intervention System On Preventing Smoking Relapse, Wu-Der Peng

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This randomized-controlled-trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a web-phone intervention system in preventing smoking relapse. The intervention was based on the Transtheoretical Model (TTM), incorporated with Motivational Interviewing strategies, and the Two-phase Model. One hundred and sixteen volunteer subjects were recruited from the student smokers name list of a university located in southern Taiwan. They were randomly assigned to three groups with a double-blind principle. The findings are listed as below. After receiving a one-month intensive intervention, the subjects in the experimental group significantly improved on self-efficacy and stage of change toward smoking cessation. After receiving a one-month intensive …

Talking To Strangers--A Sociolinguistic Experiment: Variation In Initial Dyadic Interactions Between Spanish-Speakers In Early 21st Century Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mary Ann Dziugis

Linguistics & TESOL Dissertations - Archive

What are the chances of a dyad of Spanish-speaking strangers using informal address in casual, initial interactions in Buenos Aires, Argentina, today? To discover the pattern(s) of contemporary address, the Principal Investigator (PI) conducted a sociolinguistic experiment focusing on strangers' initial interactions to minimize the influence of Brown and Gilman's (1960) dimensions of power and solidarity on address variation. To gather natural and reported speech, the PI used mixed methodologies: participant observation, TV news, survey questionnaires, and interviews. She enhanced the authenticity of reported speech via the use of her new tool--a photo interlocutor prompter sheet. The research consisted of …

Articulations Of Identity Within High School Cliques: Language Choices In Boyat And Emo Filipino Youth Groups, Dalal Saleh Almubayei

Linguistics & TESOL Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation adds to work exploring where language stands in the shaping of adolescent speakers' social identities, since identities emerge through discursive and social practices, and social selves are produced through interaction (Bucholtz 1999), but much of the literature studying the role of language in defining the adolescent's identity is insufficient (Fortman 2003). This study is based on data from five months of fieldwork in 2008-2009 with two distinct and stigmatized high school cliques in Kuwait. The first clique is well known for its Arabish name boyat 'lesbian tomboys'. The second clique is a combination of Emo subculture and Filipino …