Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Extraordinary Rendition And U.S. Counterterrorism Policy, Mark J. Murray

Journal of Strategic Security

This article examines the United States Government policy of extraordinary rendition as a response to terrorism. The paper provides a working definition of the term, outlines why it has become controversial, and uses case studies to examine success and failures of extraordinary rendition in practice. The paper concludes with lessons learned—more specifically, policy amendments—that are necessary to keep extraordinary rendition as a viable tool for the Obama Administration and mitigate political fallout against the United States from both its allies and enemies. This paper argues that extraordinary rendition provides flexibility to policymakers to detain terrorists in cases where an attack …

Buy Off And Buy In: Flipping The Farc, Joel K. Day Ii

Journal of Strategic Security

The election of President Juan Manuel Santos in Columbia marks a new era in Columbian security policy. administration has failed to implementInstead of focusing on a solely military solution to conflict with Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), as his predecessor did, Santos has committed to a multifaceted effort to resolve the dispute. In spite of this hope, the Santos many critical non-military policy proposals. Like Santos, the scholarly community has ignored important comparative studies of counterterrorism. This essay attempts to fill a gap in the literature by framing a discussion of FARC in light of new advances in counter-insurgency …

"Terrorism And Homeland Security: Perspectives, Thoughts, And Opinions," Edited By Dale L. June (Boca Raton, Fl: Crc Press, 2011), Mark J. Roberts

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

"Area 51: An Uncensored History Of America's Top Secret Military Base," Annie Jacobsen (New York: Little, Brown And Company, 2011), Edward M. Roche

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

"When Joanie Comes Marchin' Home" : An Exploratory Study Of Community-Based Mental Health Services For Lesbian Military Families, Dianne Marie Terp

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The U.S. military invests significant resources into support for servicemembers and their families. Due in part to the federal policies known as "Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) and The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the military does not provide this support to lesbian military families. This study researched the potential of lesbian-focused community mental health centers as viable alternative providers for these servicemembers. The findings of the study showed that the best prepared lesbian-focused mental health centers can provide only 73% of the resources which the military states are needed. The average center had access to only 40% of the …

Stress Reduction For Helping Professionals : A Mini Yoga Intervention (A Pilot Study), Sheila Elizabeth Thorn

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study examined the efficacy of a two-minute yoga intervention used during the working hours of helping professionals. It explores the benefits of self-care and stress reduction methods for helping professionals. Participants engaged in a two-week study in which they were asked to rank their stress before and after using of the yoga intervention during their workday. Findings supported the stress reduction benefits of the yoga intervention for the participants.

Climate Change And Social Work : Steps To An Eco-Social Work Practice, Abigail Ellen Tischler

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Although many professions and citizen groups are actively working to create practice models and policies that will help people adapt to climate change, the social work profession is not currently engaging with this issue. If the social work profession would join these other groups and create its own practice models based on meeting the physical, psychological, and social needs that result from climate change, then the core social work value of creating a just society and empowering underrepresented populations can be strengthened in climate change adaptation work. This qualitative, exploratory study asked eleven social workers what concerns they have for …

When Therapists Attack : An Aggressive Instinct In The Countertransference And Aggressive Behavior In Technique, Lauren Durbin Walther

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This is a theoretical thesis focused on aggression in countertransference for the purpose of increasing clinicians' awareness and understanding of aggressive feelings and actions towards patients. Firstly, this research examines the evolution of theories about countertransference in psychoanalytic literature with attention to the experience of hate and aggression. Secondly, this research presents contemporary understandings of the behavioral features of aggression and considers a methodic examination of the behavioral manifestations of aggression in countertransference. Acting out one's aggressive instincts towards a client is potentially damaging to the therapeutic relationship. A classification system of aggressive behavior is outlined and applied to therapists' …

Staff Members' Perceptions Of The Effective Aspects Of Psychiatric Treatment Within A Therapeutic Community Setting, Megan Karise Wimmersberger

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was undertaken to explore staff members' perceptions of the effective aspects of psychiatric treatment within a therapeutic community setting. Twelve staff members who had been working within a therapeutic community setting for a minimum of one year participated in semi-structured interviews which explored the various aspects of treatment which were considered to be particularly conducive to recovery. The total sample (N=12) included three participants from each of the four therapeutic communities included in the study: Gould Farm, Spring Lake Ranch, Hopewell Therapeutic Farm, and Cooper Riis. Since very little research has been conducted on the effectiveness of psychiatric …

Stress And Status : How Socioeconomic Status Affects Stress In Young Adult Women, Emma Katharine Yovanoff

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Numerous studies highlight the connection between women with low socioeconomic status (SES) and stress; however, there is a gap in the literature in regards to women with high SES status or what these two groups may have in common. The present study used a mixed methods approach to examine how types and levels of stress differ between women ages 18-24 years who have lower and higher socioeconomic status. Participants were 106 women with either low or high SES between the ages of 18-24 years. Data were collected using an anonymous online survey to determine each participant's SES and to identify …

Health Worker Experiences With Environmental Pollution : Health In Urban Targeted Community : A Study Of Pollution And Clinicians' Experiences And Attitudes Towards It In Urban Low-Income Communities And Communities Of Color, Leslie B. Bosworth

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Research suggests that exposure to pollution can impact people's health, and that there are more chances for exposure in some urban low-income communities or communities of color. The purpose of the study is to explore whether social service oriented clinicians consider whether their clients are exposed to pollution, how large of a problem the believe pollution is for their clients, and what actions they and their clients have taken to protect against pollution. A second purpose is to assess whether clinicians view pollution as product of discrimination. A third purpose is to see if pollution is indeed higher in lower-income …

An Assessment Of Morro Bay Residents' Attitudes Toward And Knowledge About Tourism: Setting A Foundation For Sustainable Tourism Development, Tyson Matthew David Stockton

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore Morro Bay residents’ attitudes toward tourism and knowledge about tourism in the three major tourism impact categories (economic, socio-cultural, and environmental). A mail-back questionnaire was hand-delivered during the winter of 2011 to 720 Morro Bay residents. In general, Morro Bay residents had slightly positive attitudes toward tourism in their community. The mean attitude score was 3.27 on a 5-point Likert type scale. The subjects had a relatively low level of tourism knowledge. The mean total indirect tourism knowledge score was 2.98 on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Residents’ total direct tourism knowledge score …

Invisible Jews : Does Internalized Anti-Semitism Play A Role In Unaddressed Jewish Poverty In America?, Lilith Gabrielle Wolinsky

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study looks at unexamined Jewish poverty in contemporary America through the two lenses of internalized anti-Semitism/internalized oppression/self-hate, and internalized superiority/Jewish exceptionalism/ethnocentrism with the intention of determining whether or not the constructs represented by these composite lenses have any bearing on the continued existence of Jewish poverty in the United States. Study results indicate that while the relationship between Jewish poverty and internalized Jewish oppression is not causal, unexamined internalized anti-Semitism may be a factor which prevents Jews from acknowledging and addressing this ill within their midst and as such, which perpetuates Jewish poverty. Study results also indicate that …

The Second Meeting Of States Parties To The Convention On Cluster Munitions (2011), Ccm

Global CWD Repository

The Second Meeting of States Parties (2MSP) took place in Beirut, Lebanon, from 13 to 16 September 2011 and gathered more than 1,000 delegates from 52 States Parties, 38 signatories States, 41 observers and 15 international organizations (see list below).

The 2MSP was opened by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, President of the 1MSP to the CCM, Mr. Thongloun Sisoulith. During the first plenary meeting, the meeting elected by acclamation Dr. Adnan Mansour, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of the Republic of Lebanon, as President of the 2MSP to …

In Memoriam: Lewis R. Binford, 1931-2011, Alan J. Osborn

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

Obituary of archaeology and anthropology professor Lewis Roberts Binford, 1931-April 11, 2011.

Are Politicians Office Or Policy Motivated? The Case Of U.S. Governors' Environmental Policies, Per G. Fredriksson, Le Wang, Khawaja Mamun

WCBT Faculty Publications

Are elected politicians primarily motivated by holding office, thus choosing environmental policies accordingly? Or are they motivated by the chance to implement their preferred environmental policies? Do governors have character, in the sense that they promise and implement environmental policies consistent with their own preferences? To answer these questions, we study the differences in environmental spending across both re-electable and lame duck governors from the two main political parties. In our empirical analysis, we make use of parametric and non-parametric regression-discontinuity approaches. While re-electable governors do not set significantly different policies, lame duck governors do. We argue that in the …

Looking Through The Eyes Of A Homeless Prisoner, Exploring Homeless Offender’S Perspectives On Their Transition From Custody To Community., Louise Rowlands

Dissertations

The research study provides a phenomenological approach to investigate individual’s experiences of their journey through homelessness and examining it within the concept of homeless identity. The study was concerned with exploring and acquiring a rich description on what is homeless offenders/prisoner’s perception of their transition from custody to the community and the pathways they endure. The study examined pathways into, through and out of homelessness through available literature and by conducting five interviews with individuals who are currently or have a history of homelessness and offending. Similarly the researcher sought to highlight and develop issues that drew individuals back into …

Expanded Behavioral Model For Online Support Services, Laura Boxley

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The rapid expansion of online technologies and health resources has created opportunities to develop broadly available interventions to address the needs of the modern patient. This study proposes a theoretical structure based on Andersen's Individual Determinants of Health Service Utilization Model to describe who is using online support and how it is being used. Also unique to this analysis was the use of objective behavioral data to describe and predict website utilization, and linguistic analysis to evaluate the content of what is shared in online groups. Eighty-four men and women completed baseline evaluations and were randomized into either online support …

Religious Coping And Depression Among Blacks And Whites After Sexual Abuse, Richelin Dye

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

According to the theory of Fundamental Assumptions, childhood sexual abuse survivors have more depressive symptoms as a consequence of disrupted assumptions relating to optimism and mastery (Janoff-Bulman, 1992). This study tested whether positive religious coping preserves the fundamental assumptions to decrease depressive symptoms. In contrast, negative religious coping was posited to challenge assumptions. These hypotheses were tested in 2949 women from the Biopsychosocial Religion and Health study of which 246 reported childhood sexual abuse (CSA) with no childhood physical abuse and no adult sexual assault. Across all participants, positive religious coping (benevolent God reappraisal, collaborative religious coping, and spiritual connection) …

Memory For Emotional Images: Mechanisms Of Episodic Processing And Its Psychophysiological Correlates, Gregory E. Devore

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Negative emotional stimuli are usually better remembered than neutral emotional stimuli. Previous examination of binding theory found no differences in recall for pure lists of taboo and neutral words. A similar result was found with equivalent recognition memory performance between pure lists of negative, positive, and neutral images. The current research is designed to test the predictions of binding theory using negative and neutral visual stimuli in mixed lists. A rapid serial visual presentation paradigm and recognition memory item-discrimination tasks are used. Binding theory predicts differences in recognition memory performance between arousing and neutral images in mixed lists, but not …

Experience Of Undocumented Immigrant Children In The Child Welfare System, Brenda M. Flores

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

As the number of undocumented immigrants entering the U.S. continues to increase, the number of undocumented children and families who come into contact with the child welfare system is also increasing. Currently, there are no federal or state guidelines addressing the immigration status of undocumented children placed in out-of-home care. They are assessed using traditional models without consideration of their unique needs and are referred for the same general types of treatment and services. It is important to identify and address the needs and challenges faced by this population. The goal of the study was to obtain a detailed understanding …

Exploring Gender Differences In Online Cancer Support Groups, Natalie Christine Kaiser

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Gender differences in depression and other psychiatric conditions have been widely

documented in the general population (Nolen‐Hoeksema, 2006). Therefore, several studies have

analyzed the differential gender‐based adaptation of a cancer diagnosis. However, there seem to be contradictory results. While some studies have found there to be no gender differences in terms of cancer‐related distress (Beresford et al., 2006; Deimling et al., 2006; Zabora et al., 2001; & Carlson et al., 2004; Matthews, 2003), other studies have found that females tend to display more anxiety and depressive symptoms (Mystakidou et al., 2005; Deimling et al., 2006). Interestingly, limited studies have reported …

The Impact Of Pomegranate On Memory Dysfunction After Cardiac Surgery, Sapna Patel

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Studies have shown a decline in certain cognitive abilities in individuals diagnosed with heart disease of any type or etiology. This decline is observed as the disease progresses (Muller, Grobbee, Aleman, Bots & van der Schouw, 2006; Ernest et al., 2006), as well as after certain interventions, such as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and heart valve surgery. In recent years, there has been a great deal of emphasis on the beneficial effects of pomegranate on health, including diseases of the brain and the heart. Few, however, have explored the impact of pomegranate on cognitive functions. Thus, the current …

Myelomeningocele And The Neuropsychological Functioning Of Bilingual Children, Claudia Resendiz

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Myelomeningocele is the most common and most severe form of spina bifida, affecting the brain and spinal cord of millions of children. Children of Hispanic background have the highest prevalence rate of this condition. Despite this fact, research that examines the cognitive profiles of Hispanic children with myelomeningocele is limited. A review on bilingualism and neurocognitive performance suggests that a cognitive advantage is present among those who are able to learn and utilize two languages. Although some have investigated the neuropsychological performance of children with myelomeningocele, research has yet to examine whether a bilingual cognitive advantage is present among bilingual …

Acculturative Stress, Coping, And Approaches To Working With Refugee Immigrants In The United States, Adiel Uzabakiriho

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Every year, due to environmental, political or social reasons, a large number of people worldwide are forced to leave their homes and many become refugees. Based on the U.S. Refugee Act of 1980, the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 protocol, some of those who fall into the legal definition of refugees get the chance to be resettled in the United States. During the course of migration, refugees encounter various experiences which contribute to adjustment outcomes in the United States. One of the significant factors involves acculturation and related stress identified as acculturative stress. This exploratory study identified and examined …

Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation: Ethnic And Psychosocial Predictors Of Recovery Outcome, Anna Olga Wong

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

As the new focus on preventative medicine has emerged, research continues to expand on diseases that impact physical and cognitive functioning, lead to long-term disability, and increase the risk of mortality. Stroke or cerebral vascular accident (CVA) has been identified as one of such diseases by the Centers for Disease Control (2007). Past literature has identified disparities between ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and other diseases in the recovery of stroke. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of ethnicity and psychosocial factors on stroke recovery during inpatient rehabilitation. The study included 446 patients who had suffered an …

Self-Efficacy For Independent Living In Retirement, Jennifer Summers

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A person's ability to live independently plays an important role in their quality of life. Variables such as perceived health, functional status, retirement preparedness, social support, and leisure activities are considered to play pivotal roles in the belief one can live independently. Therefore, self-efficacy towards living independently in the retirement phase of life will be impacted by the elements that set the framework for a rewarding life. The present paper reviews social cognitive theory, the construct of self efficacy as well as current research in the area of retirement and how the two are related. The review concludes with a …

Guidelines For Culturally Informed Interventions: Culture, Attributions And Continuity Of Care, Chung Mu Seo

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Although early detection can improve survival of breast and cervical cancer, U.S. Latinas are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages of cancer and have poorer survival rates compared to Anglo women. Poorer continuity of care and adherence to recommended screening are seen as contributing factors to this disparity. Existing interventions have tried to reduce human, system, and culture barriers. However, they lacked a systemic guidance in the process of identifying cultural factors and the pathways in which they affect the specific behavior of interest through psychological processes in a minority population. Guided by Betancourt’s integrative model of culture, …

The Grief Experience Of Caregivers When The Child Has A Life Threatening Illness, Avigail Ward

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Using a mixed method approach, this study explored the impact of attachment styles on the grief experience of parents and guardians of a child who has a hematological or oncological illness. The grief experience was evaluated through the lenses of Chronic Sorrow, Ambiguous Loss and Anticipatory Grief. This study was conducted at the Loma Linda University Medical Center Hematology Oncology Pediatric Clinic and was completed by 106 participants who responded to a quantitative survey with open-ended questions. An open-ended questionnaire regarding the impact of the child’s illness on the couple relationship was completed by six couples. The results indicated that …

Civic Attitude And Activity Of Loma Linda University Dental Graduates, Gregory W. Olson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Introduction: Dentistry is regarded as a profession and granted certain privileges, such as self-regulation. Associated with this status are stated and implied responsibilities which are widely debated. In recent years, dental professionalism seems to be on the decline. Evidence cited includes access-to-care issues and decreased public trust in dentists. In response, academia and professional organizations have developed curricula and statements intended to bolster professionalism. Meanwhile little is known about practicing dentists’ attitudes or participation in health-related civic matters. Objectives: This study seeks to examine the importance Loma Linda University (LLU) dental graduates place on public roles, their reported participation in …