Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Seasonality On The Oregon Coast: Avian Faunal Remains From Whale Cove (35-Lnc-60), Jessica Watson

Senior Honors Projects

The northwest coast of the United States was one of the first regions to receive Homo sapiens immigrants in the Western hemisphere and is rich in archaeological sites.  The Whale Cove site, first excavated in 1985, was initially analyzed by Ann C. Bennett-Rogers and R. Lee Lyman.  Their findings included an introductory analysis of lithic, bone, antler, and shell artifacts and general inventory of all pieces examined.  Bennett-Rogers found preliminary evidence for changes in vegetation and shellfish taxa at the Whale Cove site over time and has hypothesized that these changes were due to a tsunami event. Robert J. Losey …

Understanding Autism, Kaileigh J. Sweeney

Senior Honors Projects

Understanding Autism

Kaileigh Sweeney

Faculty Sponsor: Carolyn Hames

Autism spectrum disorders are greatly misunderstood in today’s society.  In the United States, it is estimated that 1 in 110 children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.  Despite this high prevalence, a great deal of the population is under the impression that a diagnosis of autism is straight forward and indicative of one set of devastating signs and symptoms.  However, the severity of this disorder can range from mild to severe. According to the National Institute of Health, an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders characterized …

In The Ether, Out Of View: Cyberbullying And Suicide Risk, Terri A. Erbacher Phd

PCOM Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Expressive Writing About Workplace Events : Stress, Job Satisfaction And Well-Being, Sheetal R. Gai

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Expressive Writing interventions have been widely used in clinical and medical settings. It has been shown that by exploring thoughts and feelings associated with stressful events can help individuals benefit in terms of reducing stress and improving health and psychological well-being. The present study examines the effectiveness of an expressive writing intervention among expatriates from Asia working in Information Technology industry in United States. A pre-post test design was applied. The study was conducted over 12 weeks, in which participants (N=30) completed pre assessment, and then were randomly assigned to different writing conditions Thoughts and Emotions condition (focused on thinking …

Ethics Optional? How Ethics Are Understood, Defined, And Enacted In The Practice Of Public Relations, Prudence A. Kaufman

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This present historical moment is characterized, to a large extent, by ethical transgressions that pervade many institutions and sectors of society, including politics, industry, religion, entertainment, and media, among others - all of which are related to the functions of public relations. Public relations itself, though taught in the degree programs of numerous colleges and universities, suffers from a reputation such that the words PR ethics are considered an oxymoron or simply unfeasible by many. This study addressed several key issues central to this subject: Concepts of ethics regarding public relations; the role of education in influencing concepts of ethics; …

The Effect Of Music On Emotion : The Role Of Personal Preference And Past Experience, Jacy Knaggs

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This thesis project examines the role that personal musical preferences and past musical experiences play in the effect that listening to music has on emotion. It was predicted that listening to a favored piece of music would increase positive affect, that this effect would be intensified for those with a history of musical training, and that musical selections would be varied and be related to past experiences. 36 undergraduate students at Montclair State University participated in the study. 17 participants in the control group sat in a quiet and comfortable room for 5-7 minutes. In the music condition, 19 participants …

Evaluating The Benefits Of Expressive Writing Interventions On Workplace Variables : Job Satisfaction, Stress, And Perceived Well-Being, Amparo Sadovnik

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The following thesis project outlines the possible benefits of the use of different types of writing interventions on workplace variables. The objective of this research project was to find supporting evidence to the idea that writing interventions such as traditional multisession writing activities, and one-time expressive letter writing, can help individuals enhance their perceived well-being, decrease their perceived levels of stress, and improve their job satisfaction. Sixty three participants from an undergraduate student population at a local state university, including 55 females and with an average age of 23 years, were asked to either write three consecutive times about a …

Psychosocial Needs Of Refugees From Burma: A Social Work Perspective, Audrey Tyszka

Social Welfare

The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the need for increased awareness regarding the psychosocial needs of refugees from Burma and the services they may require. Due to the current influx in resettlement of Burmese refugees, a greater focus needs to be placed on effective social work with culturally diverse groups. Refugees from Burma have experienced an immense amount of trauma and loss, which must be understood in order to foster the recovery process. This paper draws on the literature, my experience as a social work intern at the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), and my …

Adults With Developmental Disabilities As A Health Disparity In The Community, Hillary R. Closs

Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

Cultivation Of Mindfulness And Acceptance Processes In Act And Cbt: A Randomized Clinical Trial In A Pure Self Help Context, Andrew N. Orayfig

Psychology

There is a paucity of research on self-help approaches within Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); specifically there is a need for more randomized controlled trials to elucidate the effectiveness of ACT-based biblio-therapy relative to more traditional cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). The aim of the present research, therefore, is two-fold: (a) to provide a preliminary comparison of ACT and CBT for anxiety in a self-help context and (b) to examine how the two treatments impact ACT-relevant processes in an international community sample (N=200) of persons reporting difficulties with anxiety and fear. Participants were randomized to receive either an ACT or CBT …

Do Youths Lacking Proper Adult Role Models, Guidance, And Supervision, Respond To The Stresses Of Their Transition From Adolescents To Adulthood, With Gang Membership?, Uraina Owens

Criminal Justice

No abstract provided.

Incomplete Sentences: Predictors Of Failure To Complete Court-Mandated Domestic Violence Counseling, Meredith Dedopoulos

Criminal Justice

No abstract provided.

Honors Journalism: Selected Writings, Matthew Joseph Boutin

Journalism Program

Contained in this writing package are the seven best-crafted and most compelling pieces of writing of my undergraduate career. They have been assembled, expanded and edited under the supervision of my project advisor, Professor Thomas Bass, into this final product. One of the benefits of majoring in Journalism I most appreciate is having the freedom to constantly explore new topics in my writing. This collection reflects the broad scope of the major, as it includes articles covering a diverse range of issues and events, as well as a media study and an autobiographical story. The composition of each of the …

Donor-Side Determinants Of Disaggregated Foreign Assistance: A Sur Approach To Understanding U.S. Economic, Military, And Food Aid Commitments, Stephanie Hugie

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This study addresses whether the absolute and relative impact of economic, political, and humanitarian variables that restrain or boost U.S. foreign assistance varies for different types of aid, from a strictly domestic decision-making framework. Using a SUR analysis for U.S. economic, military, and food aid obligations, the various aid budgets indeed behave differently with respect to the explanatory variables. GDP growth, the military budget, and Congressional orientation are more suitable predictors for economic assistance than for food or military assistance. Food aid is less likely to be correlated with the ideological orientation of the Congress and President, and is not …

Redesigning A Mobile Site: Lessons Learned, Jovy-Anne O'Grady, Marie T. Ascher, Afsar Mohiuddin, Diana J. Cunningham

NYMC Faculty Posters

A mobile site redesign was conducted at a medium-sized academic health sciences library with the goal of creating a site that meets the mobile information needs of its users.

House Prices And Marital Stability, Martin Farnham, Lucie Schmidt, Purvi Sevak

Economics: Faculty Publications

We investigate the effect of house price changes on divorce using data for 1991-2010 from the Current Population Survey and the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Our findings suggest that changing house prices significantly affect the share of a cohort that is divorced, and that these effects are asymmetric with respect to housing gains versus losses. In addition, we find differential effects for groups that are more likely to be homeowners versus renters. Some of this evidence is consistent with homeowners being locked into their homes-and hence marriages-by increased transactions costs in down markets.

Conflict And Satisfaction In Romantic Relationships, Meghan Moland

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Past research regarding the link between conflict resolution styles and marital satisfaction have been consistent; each partner's level of relationship satisfaction is positively related to the frequency with which both partners use constructive strategies to resolve conflict (such as agreement, compromise, and humor) and negatively related to the frequency with which each partner uses destructive strategies to resolve conflict (such as conflict engagement, withdrawal, and defensiveness) (Kurdek, 1995). The purpose of this research was to examine the links between conflict and satisfaction in romantic relationships that are one or more years in duration. Six self-report indices (the Relationship Assessment Scale …

Information Outlook, April/May 2011, Special Libraries Association

Information Outlook, 2011

Volume 15, Issue 3

What Attracts Older Nurses To Organizations? Psychological Moderators Of The Impact Of Flexible Scheduling And Mentoring Opportunities, Sarah Dubose

All Theses

The current study investigated two psychological moderators (generativity and occupational stress) of the impact of flexible scheduling and mentoring opportunities on the attraction and application intentions of older nurses of bridge employment age. Of the 600 registered nurses who were contacted via postal mail, 101 responded. Participants were randomly assigned to one of six conditions in which a hypothetical job advertisement was manipulated with varying levels each of flexible scheduling (input vs no input into the schedule) and mentoring opportunities (formal, informal, and none). Input was found to have a main effect on organizational attraction, but main effects were not …

Poverty In Massachusetts By Race, Randy Albelda, Ferry Cadet, Dinghong Mei

Center for Social Policy Publications

Massachusetts has lower total poverty rates compared to the US average. However, Asian and other minorities in Massachusetts higher poverty rates while Black and White populations have lower poverty rates than compared to US averages.

Poverty rates by race differ considerably across Massachusetts’ ten largest cities. For Blacks, the highest poverty rates are in Fall River (41.7%), for Asians it is Boston (30.2%) and for Whites is it s New Bedford (19.4%). Quincy’s poverty rates are the lowest for Whites (8.0%) and other racial groups (11.2%), while Cambridge has the lowest poverty rates for Blacks at 15.2% and Brockton for …

Entry-Level Workforce Investment Feasibility Study, Brandynn Holgate, Tressa Stazinski

Center for Social Policy Publications

Project Hope and the Center for Social Policy conducted an Entry-Level Workforce Investment Feasibility Study in the Spring and Summer of 2010. The primary purpose of this study is two‐fold. First, the study was used to identify and target one or two industries (other than health care where Project Hope has already established employer partnerships and job training programs) which offer entry‐level jobs and begin to establish relationships with potential employer partners. Second, the study synthesized existing data and research to assess the match between the characteristics, interests and skill sets of Project Hope participants and the job opportunities in …

Poverty In Massachusetts By Ethnicity, Randy Albelda, Ferry Cadet, Dinghong Mei

Center for Social Policy Publications

At just under 29%, the poverty rate for Hispanics is Massachusetts far exceed the poverty rate of 22% for Hispanics in the US. The poverty rate for non-Hispanics in Massachusetts is less than the US average.

Almost half of all Hispanics in Massachusetts reside in the 10 largest cities, compared to 25% of the total population (data no shown on table). Hispanic poverty rates differ considerably across Massachusetts’ ten largest cities, ranging from 6.3% in Quincy to 53.3% in Lowell.

Poverty In Massachusetts For Families With Children, Randy Albelda, Ferry Cadet, Dinghong Mei

Center for Social Policy Publications

Massachusetts has lower poverty rates compared to the US average for all families with children. The poverty rates for female-headed families with children (single mother families) are 5.5 times higher than those of married couples with children in Massachusetts and the US.

Poverty rates for families with children differ considerably across Massachusetts’ ten largest cities, and are typically considerably higher than the Massachusetts average for all family types. Springfield has the highest poverty rates for each family type with children while Quincy has the lowest.

Poverty In Massachusetts By Education Status: Population 25 Years And Older, Randy Albelda, Ferry Cadet, Dinghong Mei

Center for Social Policy Publications

Massachusetts has lower poverty rates compared to the US average. But, like the US, the poverty rate for the people with less than high school graduate far exceed those of higher education level.

Poverty rates differ considerably across Massachusetts’ ten largest cities, ranging from 18.2% in Quincy to 39.6% in Springfield for those with the lowest educational attainment. Cambridge, one of the best-known academic center in the nation, has the highest poverty rate among those with a bachelor’s degree or higher educational level.

Poverty In Massachusetts By Age, Randy Albelda, Ferry Cadet, Dinghong Mei

Center for Social Policy Publications

Massachusetts has lower poverty rates compared to the US average. But, like the US, child poverty rates far exceed those of working age adults (ages 18-64) and those 65 and older.

Child poverty rates differ considerably across Massachusetts’ ten largest cities, ranging from 11.1% in Quincy to 41.0% in Springfield. Boston has the highest poverty rates for those who are 65 and older. Even though most over 65 and older are not employed, this group has lower poverty rates than “working-age” adults in six of the cities. In Boston, Lowell, Lynn, and Quincy, elder poverty rates are higher than those …

Poverty In Massachusetts By Nativity, Randy Albelda, Ferry Cadet, Dinghong Mei

Center for Social Policy Publications

Massachusetts has lower poverty rates compared to US average for both native born and foreign born populations. But, foreign-born poverty rates in Massachusetts are only slightly lower than those for foreign born in the US.

Poverty rates for those born outside the US differ considerably across Massachusetts’ ten largest cities, ranging from 8.3% in Quincy to 28.1% in Springfield. But foreign-born poverty rates do not always exceed those of foreign born. In Brockton, Lowell, New Bedford, Springfield and Worcester those born outside the US were less likely to be poor than the native-born population.

Poverty In Massachusetts By Household Status, Randy Albelda, Ferry Cadet, Dinghong Mei

Center for Social Policy Publications

Household status matters in terms of poverty. People living in married-couples families are much less likely to be poor than those living in non-married households in Massachusetts and the US.

Poverty rates in Massachusetts’ ten largest cities are typically higher than the rates for the state for all households types. Springfield has the highest rates for those in married couples, female-headed families, and males not living with relatives. Lynn has the highest for females not living with relatives. Quincy has the lowest rates among all household statuses.

Poverty In Massachusetts By Gender, Randy Albelda, Ferry Cadet, Dinghong Mei

Center for Social Policy Publications

Massachusetts has lower poverty rates compared to US average. But, like the US, female poverty rates exceed those of males.

Female poverty rates are higher than male poverty rates in Massachusetts' ten largest cities. But, these rates vary widely from 8.2% for males and 9.9% for females in Quincy to 25.6% for males and 29.1% for females in Springfield.

Overnight Park Visitor Constraints To Participation And Interests Potentially Served In Interpretive Programs, Jessica Goodrich

All Theses

Interpretive programs are offered by parks and public lands to inspire the visitors to further appreciate the heritage resources presented and protected within parks. These programs and services add an additional dimension to park visits, may increase enjoyment, provide visitors with a richer understanding of heritage resources, create opportunities to influence visitor behaviors in ways helpful to managers, and possibly provide motivations for visitors to extend their stay. Any potential desired outcome resulting from the strategic use of interpretative programs requires participants, and the broader the audience, the wider the influence. Consequently, a study of the variety of reasons that …

A History Of West Coconut Grove From 1925: Slum Clearance, Concrete Monsters, And The Dichotomy Of East And West Coconut Grove,, Alex Plasencia

All Theses

The Bahamian settlers who arrived during the early history of South Florida experienced a similar environment to that of their homeland. The climate, terrain, and the lifestyle were comparable to the Bahamas. What differed from their homeland was the opportunity to find work. Many of these early settlers made their way to Key West before eventually coming to Coconut Grove for work. Unlike in other parts of the United States, black and whites in Coconut Grove had what can be described as a cordial relationship. It was in no way perfect, but people in Coconut Grove, regardless of race, worked …