Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Individual, Family, School, And Community Predictors For Depression And Self-Esteem: A Comparative Study Between Asian And Latino Adolescents, Min Ju Kim

Social Work Theses - Archive

The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors within the family, school, and community environments of Hispanic and Asian adolescents' that may predict mental health (depression and self-esteem). Another aim was to compare the significant predictors of depression and self-esteem between Hispanic and Asian adolescents. This study used secondary data from Wave II of the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study (CILS). The target population was 2,114 students (1,008 Hispanics and 1,106 Asians) who were about to graduate from high school and 1,213 parents. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between environmental variables and mental …

Posttraumatic Growth And Positive Macro-Level Outcomes, Patricia Dearman Moser

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Common patterns and themes emerge from the unique experiences of individuals who have managed to turn personal tragedies into positive macro-level outcomes, such as societal change or agency creation. A number of research questions exploring the factors that influence an individual's decision and ability to create positive change from trauma, pain or suffering were explored throughout the study. Interviews and document reviews contributed to the study of why and how some individuals have been able to accomplish such commendable undertakings. A purposeful sample of nine individuals, both males and females, were interviewed. Purposeful and snowball methods of sampling were used …

Lifetime Alcohol Misuse Prevalence Rates Among Sexual Offenders Currently Enrolled In Outpatient Sex Offender Treatment, James P. Foster

Social Work Theses - Archive

Sex offenders' high prevalence of alcohol misuse augments their risk of reoffending. Identifying sexual offenders' alcohol misuse patterns and history is vital to effective treatment that lowers rates of recidivism. The present study seeks to determine the prevalence of lifetime alcohol misuse among individuals participating in court mandated outpatient sex offender treatment. Participants were administered the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST). The participants' MAST scores were then separated into categories of, "No Problem (scores 0-5)," "Alcohol Problem (scores 6-8)," and "Alcohol Abuse/Dependence (scores 9+)" to compare with the participants' self-reported alcohol use during their intake assessments. The MAST score ranges …

Reproductive Health Of Tribal Populations In India: A Sustainability Approach, Mashooq Azad Salehin

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

In the context of global climate change, the sustainability approach takes a holistic view of development through preservation of nature during the course of socioeconomic and human development. Reproductive health functions as an integral component of human development, enabling `continuity' of human species through successful `reproductive processes'. Prior studies on reproductive health are restricted to determinants such as fertility, family size, and infant mortality with limited focus on developing a holistic or comprehensive explanation of reproductive health. Although social and economic factors have been identified as reproductive health factor in prior studies, ecological component has been overlooked historically in understanding …

Evaluating Drug Court Effectiveness And Exploring Racial Disparities In Drug Court Outcomes: A Mixed Methods Study, John R. Gallagher

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Mixed methods were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Drug Impact Rehabilitation Enhanced Comprehensive Treatment (D.I.R.E.C.T.) program, and to explore the factors that may contribute to racial disparities in drug court outcomes. The D.I.R.E.C.T. program is an adult drug court located in Fort Worth, Texas. The most predictive variables of graduating the D.I.R.E.C.T. program were being employed or a student at time of admission into the program, having fewer positive drug tests, and being Caucasian. The most predictive variables of not recidivating were not having a violation within the first 30 days of the program and graduating the program. …

Teenage Waist-Land: Social And Environmental Determinants Of Childhood Obesity, Shing Pang

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

In the past three decades, childhood obesity has emerged as a growing concern for authorities in diverse disciplines. Authorities in law, economics, medicine, nursing, psychiatry, education, and social work have dedicated research and resources in an attempt to arrest or reverse this alarming trend. Guided by existing gaps in contemporary research, this study expanded the knowledge base by examining the social and environmental determinants of childhood obesity for youths aged 13 to 17 year-olds. The social and environmental determinants of this research were guided by the Ecological Systems Theory and Social Capital Theory, and those determinants included academic development, medical …

To Share Or Not To Share: The Impact Of Disclosing Sexuality On Instructor Communication Apprehension, Instructional Effectiveness, And Student Relationships, Justin Rudnick

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Previous research has explored the role LGBTQ instructor sexuality plays in the classroom. However, little research explores the effects of disclosing LGBTQ sexuality on the individual instructor. This study examines how LGBTQ instructors report disclosures of their sexuality to influence their Communication Apprehension, Instructional Effectiveness, and their Relationships with Students. Qualitative interviewing methods were used to survey nine self-identified LGBTQ college instructors from mid-size Midwest universities, and a grounded theory approach was used to identify emergent themes pertaining to LGBTQ instructors' experiences with their sexuality in the classroom. Interviewees reported varying degrees of communication apprehension, instructional effectiveness, and heightened personal …

Teacher Training For Lre Mainstreaming And Diverse Classrooms, Rhonda J. Callanan

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Since the enactment of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, classrooms in the United States have changed over the years. These laws have added numerous responsibilities for teachers, especially the Least Restrictive Environment mandate that places more students with disabilities in the general education classrooms. A review of the literature shows that even though more skills are required to teach in more diverse classrooms, teacher training programs have not changed in response to this need. A second problem related to insufficient teacher training is the increase in students …

The Roles Of Self-Efficacy And Self-Deception In Cheating On Unproctored Internet Testing, Christopher Adam Wedge

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The proliferation of online employee selection testing is causing a growing concern for the possibility of cheating. This study examines the interrelationships between personality factors and cheating behavior on unproctored selection testing. Past research has indicated that individuals with high specific self-efficacy are less likely to cheat. It was hypothesized that high levels of both general self-efficacy (GSE) and specific self-efficacy (SSE) predict lower rates of cheating overall. Additionally, Chance et al.'s (2001) study on self-deception demonstrated that students who cheat experience inflated confidence for future performance; this study extends this research by examining the effect cheating has on an …

The Backpack Food Program's Effects On Self-Reported Hunger And On-Task Behavior, Meghan E. Ecker

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Variations of the BackPack Food Program are implemented in cities and states throughout the nation, however little is known regarding the effects that providing this food has on student performance in school. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the BackPack Food Program's effectiveness in combating student's hunger over the weekends and school breaks, thus decreasing student's self-reported hunger levels. Additionally, this study attempted to analyze the program's effects on student's on-task behavior in the classroom. Over the course of three semesters, hunger surveys were evaluated for 82 students and observations of on-task behavior were recorded for 52 students. …

Financial Development And Economic Growth In Kentucky Counties, John D. Conley

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

There is a broad literature on the finance-growth nexus in the macroeconomics literature. Is there evidence for the finance-growth nexus at the sub-national region? If so, can macroeconomic finance and growth methods be extended to sub-national regions? Joseph Schumpeter argued that banks promote economic growth by choosing which projects to fund, by mobilizing underutilized capital, by managing risk and by monitoring managers.

This dissertation proposes a modified Martin and Ottaviano (2001) model that allows for borrowing to form new firms or to expand existing firms. The model shows that if borrowing across regional lines is costly, above and beyond the …

Testing The Viability Of Web Dmdx For Masked Priming Experiments, Samantha Cornelius, Jeffrey Witzel, Naoko Witzel, Kenneth Forster, Jonathan Forster

Linguistics & TESOL Faculty Publications & Presentations - Archive

Purpose: • Evaluate the viability of a web-based version of the DMDX software package (web DMDX). • It was unclear whether web DMDX allowed for the consistent and accurate display of experimental stimuli. Research Question: • Is web DMDX a reliable tool for psycholinguistic experiments? Are display times in web DMDX comparable to those in the original lab-based version of this software (lab DMDX)?

Masked Onset Priming In Korean: Evidence For Syllable- And Phoneme-Level Effects, Yujeong Choi, Naoko Witzel, Jeffrey Witzel

Linguistics & TESOL Faculty Publications & Presentations - Archive

No abstract provided.

Deeper Than Shallow: Evidence For Structure-Based Parsing Biases In Second-Language Sentence Processing, Naoko Witzel, Jeffrey Witzel, Janet Nicol

Linguistics & TESOL Faculty Publications & Presentations - Archive

This study examines the reading patterns of native speakers (NSs) and high-level (Chinese) nonnative speakers (NNSs) on three English sentence types involving temporarily ambiguous structural configurations. The reading patterns on each sentence type indicate that both NSs and NNSs were biased toward specific structural interpretations. These results are interpreted as evidence that both first-language and second-language (L2) sentence comprehension is guided (at least in part) by structure-based parsing strategies and, thus as counterevidence to the claim that NNSs are largely limited to rudimentary (or “shallow”) syntactic computation during online L2 sentence processing.

Cfmd Research Journal 2011-2012 Volume 1, Center For Metropolitan Density, Michael P. Buckley, Taner R. Ozdil

Center for Metropolitan Density Publications - Archive

The Center's mission is to demonstrate that greater density, including suburban scale density, will produce the most economically productive, operationally effective, fiscally efficient, environmentally responsible, and culturally supportive environments. CfMD will fulfill its mission by conducting sponsored research, convening symposia, and consulting with industry partners.

Annetta South Comprehensive Land Use Plan, Institute Of Urban Studies

Institute of Urban Studies Publications - Archive

No abstract provided.

Clients’ Experiences Of Spirituality In Couple’S Therapy: A Phenomenological Approach, Jillian M. Puckett

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

While spirituality has been an increasingly researched topic within the field of marriage and family therapy, it has been largely overlooked within the context of couple’s therapy. The goal of the present study is to enhance the understanding of the role of spirituality in therapy by describing clients’ experiences of spirituality in couple’s therapy. The study utilized a phenomenological approach to come to a better understanding of the essence of clients’ experiences of spirituality in couple’s therapy. Semi-structured interviews with couples enrolled in couple’s therapy were conducted and analyzed. Four major themes emerged: spiritual experiences in couple’s therapy, perception of …

Librarians As Improvisers: An Improvisational Approach To Teaching Information Literacy, Anthony Stamatoplos, Edward Trout

USF St. Petersburg Campus Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Institutional Repositories--The Time Is Now!, Tina M. Neville

USF St. Petersburg Campus Faculty Publications

Librarians at USF St. Petersburg recently established an institutional repository to collect and preserve the documents and scholarly output of our institution. By preserving our organizational productivity (reports, committee minutes, images, theses, articles, etc) in one secure location, the entire campus community has quick and easy access to a wide variety of information by and about our campus. The presentation will offer tips on creating a repository of this type, consider content choices, and discuss how the repository can play a significant role in institutional planning, communication, and accreditation efforts.

Faculty Library Satisfaction Survey 2011/12, Kaya Van Beynen, Carol G. Hixson, Tina M. Neville

USF St. Petersburg Campus Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Public Services Department : Annual Report : 2012 - 2013, Tina M. Neville, Kaya Van Beynen, Carol G. Hixson

USF St. Petersburg Campus Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Beyond Simple, Easy, And Fast: Reflections On Teaching Summon., Catherine A. Cardwell, Vera J. Lux, Robert J. Snyder

USF St. Petersburg Campus Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Clash Of Cultures: Reaching Hostile Audiences Through International Broadcasting, Andrew M. Clark, Thomas B. Christie

Communication Faculty Publications - Archive

This study examines U.S. international broadcasting efforts through the Office of War Information and Voice of America to provide a philosophy and foundation for the use of Alhurra Television. This station was launched during the Iraq war to reach audiences and influence public policy in the Middle East. This study found high percentages of Alhurra viewing classification using the discriminant function, suggesting that the combination of key cultural indicator variables is a sound predictor of viewing this news source. Thus, this study validates the premise of U.S. policy as it confirms the challenges faced by international broadcasting 70 years ago …

Making Every Hour Count - Librarians And Time Management, Jennifer A. Bartlett

Library Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of An Intensive Physical Exercise Program (Ipe) On Mental Processing Speed And Postural Control In Older Adults, John R. Biggan

Psychology Dissertations - Archive

One in three Americans over the age of 65 fall each year. In 2000, this equated to an annual cost of $19 billion in healthcare costs and this cost is expected to rise to $54 billion by 2020. One factor related to the increased risk of falls is a slowing mental processing speed. Mental processing speed is the speed at which a person is able to successfully process and respond to stimuli. As people age, they are not able to process information as quickly as younger adults. A positive correlation between physical speed and mental processing speed has been found …

The Individual Approach To Contact: How Personality Predicts Intergroup Contact Behavior, Nicole Sharp

Psychology Theses - Archive

Personality has been shown to be associated with prejudice levels and intergroup contact has been shown to reduce negative outgroup attitudes and discrimination, but until now the motivating factors that encourage naturalistic contact have not been examined. Participants were recruited from undergraduate introductory psychology courses and partook in a two-part study. During phase 1 of the study, participants completed personality measures as well as intergroup contact and prejudice scales. In the second phase of the study participants rated and selected potential future interaction partners based on an evaluation of short profiles. Results indicated that the Cultural Empathy subscale of the …

Development Of Gist Processing Skills And Memory In Children And Young Adults: Effects Of Presentation Type In A Modified Drm Paradigm, Haylie Lauren Miller

Psychology Dissertations - Archive

To date, studies have separately tested the influence of narrative context, source-monitoring, and list length on gist extraction. The present study expanded upon that body of work by examining those variables in combination. Specifically, I observed the effects of presentation type (list versus narrative) on children's ability to process gist at ages 5, 7, 9, and 11, as well as young adults age 18-30. Participants watched two puppets present either a list of words or a narrative with an embedded DRM list. Following presentation of the puppet show, participants were given a source memory test where they were asked to …

Bullying, Victimization, Depression, And Substance Use: Sex As A Possible Complicating Factor, Michael C. Natishyn

Psychology Theses - Archive

As previous research emphasizes a complex model of substance use regarding bullying dynamics and influence with depression, further investigation is warranted. Adolescents aged 15 years were selected from the Health Behaviors in School Aged Children (N = 2656) and the National Institute of Child Healthcare and Development (N = 1364) databases. Analyses were performed using mixed regression models with the SPSS PROCESS macro (Hayes, 2012b), employing both mediation and moderated-mediation. Four models were produced from each dataset: (a) mediation of victimization on substance use through depression, (b) moderated-mediation of victimization on substance use through depression, moderated by sex; (c) mediation …

Ratio Bias In Judgment Under Specific Emotions, Yanfei Liu

Psychology Theses - Archive

How does specific emotion influence the ratio bias phenomenon? Previous studies suggested that a more systematic and analytical reasoning with logical rationality seemed to be stimulated by negative emotions. However other studies regarding appraisal congruency effects have demonstrated that information processing is dependent on the certainty of emotion. To explore the effect of specific emotions on numeracy and ratio bias in judgment, I conducted a 2 (positive vs. negative emotion) ×2 (certainty vs. uncertainty emotion) between-participants design, contributing to four conditions: happy (positive, certainty), hope (positive, uncertainty), disgust (negative, certainty) and fear (negative, uncertainty). Four groups of participants were induced …

Perceived Fairness Of The Use Of Facebook In The Selection Process, Donielle Gustafson

Psychology Theses - Archive

Although research has examined applicant attitudes in the selection process regarding the use of a variety of assessments tools, no scholarly or empirical studies to date have examined attitudes towards the use of Facebook in the selection process. Nonetheless, organizations are using Facebook in the selection process and are asking applicants for Facebook usernames and passwords resulting in applicants withdrawing from the application process (Valdes & McFarland, 2012). This demonstrates why it is essential for research to examine applicant perceptions in regards to Facebook use in the selection process. The current study consisted of 422 participants of whom 92% indicated …