Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Mental Health Literacy Of Latina Women In The United States For Their School-Aged Children, Annarheen S. Pineda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite known mental health (MH) disparities faced by Latino children relative to children from other minority groups of similar socioeconomic status (SES), little is known about how Latina mothers make MH decisions for their children. The present study examined links between Latina mothers' mental health literacy (MHL), including the recognition of and response to child psychiatric symptoms, and maternal acculturation factors as well as interpersonal violence (IPV) related symptomatology. Participants were 80 Latina mothers from Denver, Colorado and Modesto, California with at least one child between the ages of 8-12 years. Mothers were presented vignettes depicting child internalizing and externalizing …

Performing The Personal Within The Organizational: Communicating Professional Identities Through Taiwanese Commercial Airline Pilots' Personal Narratives, Kai-Chun Chuang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation project explored professionalism and the performance of identities by examining Taiwanese commercial airline pilots' discursive practices in everyday life. The intentions for this project were to not only expand current knowledge of organizational communication from a critical rhetorical perspective, but to further explore the under-appreciated concept of professionalism of organizational members. Theoretically, I traced theoretical analysis in the sociology of professions and further investigated scholarship from identity research in organizational communication studies. This research agenda helped to advance communication-based understandings of the meanings and practices of professional identity as a complement to the sociological conception. I further merged …

Chinese Intellectuals And China's Policy Toward Japan, Wenting Yang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims at integrating two scholarships: state-society relation studies and Chinese foreign policy analysis. I created Two-level Perception Gap Model to analyze different intellectual groups' relations with party-state by confirming Chinese intellectuals play a role in CFP making in general, China's Japan policy in particular. This model is an alternative approach, instead of conventional wisdom patron-client approach, to explain and analyze the pluralized intellectual-state relations in China. This model first analyzed the role of two intellectual groups, namely think tank scholars and popular nationalist, in China's Japan policy making, and then based on these analyses it explains the interactional …

Investing In A Better World: A Study Of Country-Level Factors On Investment Outcomes, Richard Matthew Ostberg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a design to examine the effects of environmental factors in a country such as education systems levels, corruption, and social freedoms on investment outcomes. The literature review suggests that countries with poor education at the secondary level tend to have lower standards of living, lower levels of freedom, as well as high levels of corruption which appear to have negative effects on their market economies. This study was designed to examine existing data from multiple sources along multiple dimensions, and use a hierarchical linear model, as well as a portfolio optimization model, to assess the impact of …

A New Method To Evaluate Community Based Mediation Programs: Multi-Attribute Cost Utility Analysis, Cory William Stufflebeem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to develop a new approach to evaluating the cost-effectiveness of community based mediation programs in order to promote a more robust methodology for researching community based mediation in general, and to provide a means for the favorable claims of community based mediation to be accurately validated.

A methodology was created based on multi-attribute cost utility analysis. This analysis involves studying two programs simultaneously: a community based mediation program and a corresponding court adjudication program/institution. These programs are evaluated on three measures of effectiveness or attributes: satisfaction rating, number of successful cases processed, and compliance …

The Pursuit Of Balanced Income: An Economic Perspective On Wealth, Calvin E. Pierce

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to determine if households with moderate incomes have the opportunity to acquire pecuniary wealth. In an environment of increasing globalization, labor-eliminating technology, and an overburdened entitlement system, the position of wealth is necessary for households with a penchant for early retirement and particularly for those that will inevitably succumb to involuntary retirement. In these writings, qualitative and quantitative descriptions of wealth are offered; two microeconomic metrics are introduced to identify baseline wealth and to gauge proximity to this value; and strategies are devised to close the gap between these metrics.

The construct of the …

Mobility And Aging In Denver, Colorado: Travel Behavior, Mobility Barriers, And Perceptions Of Transit, Sylvia Arriaga Brady

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The number of seniors in the U.S. today is growing rapidly because of longer life expectancies and the aging Baby Boomer generation. This age groups' travel behavior will have substantial impacts on transportation, economics, safety, and the environment. This research used a mixed-methods approach to address issues of mobility and aging in Denver, Colorado. A quantitative approach was used to answer broad questions about travel behavior and the effects of age, gender, work status, disability, residential location and socio-economic status on mobility. Qualitative interviews with seniors in the Denver metro area were conducted to identify barriers to mobility, decision-making processes …

Longitudinal Interplay Of Dating Anxiety And Romantic Cognitions And Behaviors From Adolescence To Young Adulthood, Jessica K. Winkles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dating is normative in adolescence and young adulthood, but can be disrupted and distressing to individuals experiencing dating anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral theories suggest dating anxiety impacts romantic cognitions and behaviors, and romantic cognitions and behaviors impact dating anxiety. Thus far, investigators have been unable to explore the interplay between dating anxiety and romantic cognitions and behaviors because studies are limited by cross-sectional designs. The present study examined longitudinal associations between two types of dating anxiety (dating interactions and active intentions for dating) and romantic appeal, jealousy, and compliance during conflict. Two hundred adolescents participated in the study, which began in the …

The Influence Of Gender And Alcohol Use On Depressive Symptoms Among Men And Women, Elizabeth Anne Peters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the extent to which gender influences self-reported prototypical and masculine-specific symptoms of depression in men and women and whether or not alcohol mediates this relationship. Secondly, this study evaluated the effectiveness of the Denver Comprehensive Depression Inventory (DCDI), in measuring prototypical and masculine-specific depressive symptoms in clinical and non-clinical samples of men and women.

This paper summarizes the literature on gender differences in depression and the assessment of depression and gender, and outlines the current research on masculine-specific depression. It is argued that current assessment instruments identify prototypical symptoms of depression, as outlined in the DSM-IV-TR, but …

The Relationships Between Executive Function And Positive Reappraisal Abilities In Adulthood, Yen-Chen Chang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Positive reappraisal, a type of emotion regulation that involves cognitively reframing negative information in a positive light, has been shown to promote resilience in stressed individuals (i.e., it decreases depression and enhances well-being). The ability to use positive reappraisal (PRA) varies widely across individuals, raising the question of which cognitive functions might support this ability. Only a few studies have investigated this question, and they have not yet examined the relationships between PRA and executive functions that involve emotional materials ("valence-specific executive functions;" EF). The first part of the present study examined the relationships between PRA and two types of …

Effects Of Societal Norm Manipulation And Presentation Order On Perceived Relationship Satisfaction, Tina Rene Negley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While many studies have examined the effects of persuasion on attitudes, few studies have focused on using norms to change perceived satisfaction. This study addressed the need for literature assessing the effects of societal norms on perceived relationship satisfaction. Participants in this study were randomly provided with one of two surveys: one with a set of normative statements regarding an "average couple" that were over-exaggerated, the other with understated norms. Analyses looked to identify whether individuals presented with the high norms were more likely to rate their relationship satisfaction lower, after controlling for demographic and personality characteristics. Hierarchical regression revealed …

Spectacle, Sacrifice And The State: The Legacy Of European Fascism And The Revival Of Martyrdom In The Modern World, Gerald Robert Pace

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rise of political martyrdom in the contemporary world is not a new phenomenon but can be traced back to at least the early Twentieth Century with the rise of European Fascist movements. Both they, and the fascist-like movements of today, share a cluster of characteristics that allow for fruitful comparisons of the ways in which martyrdom spectacles are used to communicate with constituent populations, facilitate a culture of violence, perpetuate their revolutionary zeal and demonstrate the characteristics of the ideal citizen. Examining four major movements; Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, the Palestinian Hamas and the modern Iran, this dissertation argues …

Islamic Political Thought: Reviving A Rationalist Tradition, Hazem Y. Salem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work develops the foundations of an Islamic argument for secular, liberal democracy from within the Islamic discursive tradition. First, it challenges the presentation of contemporary Islamic political thought as a unified, continuous development of the classical canon by showing the influence of the now marginalized medieval rationalists in the development of Islamic political thought. The classical rationalist concern with divine justice forced the founders of Sunni orthodoxy to state their epistemologies and their positions on ethical ontology. The orthodox positions, and their related methods of legal-juristic reasoning, are shown to be incapable of accommodating the modern Islamic positions on …

The Role Of The Social Environment In Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Among Lgbtq Youth: A Mixed Methods Study, Sarah J. Nickels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), such as cutting and burning, is a widespread social problem among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Extant research indicates that this population is more than twice as likely to engage in NSSI than heterosexual and cisgender (non-transgender) youth. Despite the scope of this social problem, it remains relatively unexamined in the literature. Research on other risk behaviors among LGBTQ youth indicates that experiencing homophobia and transphobia in key social contexts such as families, schools, and peer relationships contributes to health disparities among this group. Consequently, the aims of this study were to examine: …

The Role Of Private International Financial Capital Flows In Support Of Development For Emerging Market Countries, Jason Victor Reuter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Economic growth and development are critical issues for emerging market economies as they seek increase their standards of living. Financial globalization, innovation and international financial capital flows are prominent factors influencing macroeconomic stability and the pace of growth and development around the globe. This dynamic has become even more pronounced since the Asian Financial Crisis at the end of the 1990s and the Global Financial Crisis starting in 2008. In the wake of these two global economic events, the need for reflection on the drivers of growth and development as well as impediments to these activities is warranted. This thesis …

Attentional Processes Associated With Victimization History And Posttraumatic Symptomatology In Women Exposed To Intimate Partner Violence, Ryan B. Matlow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) puts women at risk for severe and chronic physical and mental health consequences, including elevations in IPV-related psychopathology and increased risk for future victimization. Previous research has examined attention as one of the key information processing mechanisms associated with elevated psychopathology and risk for victimization; however, the nature of attentional processing in response to IPV-related information in women exposed to IPV is poorly understood. Therefore, the current study aimed to further understanding of associations between attentional processing, IPV exposure, and related distress using measures of eye movement and subjective interpretations of IPV-related information. A …

Genetically Modified Food In The Us And The Uk: Proponents, Dissenters And Media Coverage, Tess Ann Doezema

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research is a qualitative study examining the communication surrounding the issue of genetically modified food in the UK and the UK from October, 2011 through September, 2012. Material from biotechnology industry organizations, industry-funded non-profits, groups campaigning against the continued use of the technology, and mainstream media coverage of the issue in both countries during this time was examined using thematic analysis. The issue is analyzed through the lenses of Herman and Chomsky's propaganda model, agenda building and framing theory. The research finds support for agenda building as well as a modernized understanding of the propaganda model, which the researcher …

Parties And Peacebuilding: The Institutional Origin Of Multiethnic Politics In India, Indonesia, And South Africa, Geoffrey P. Macdonald

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Under what conditions do multiethnic political parties win elections in deeply divided societies? Using the cases of India, Indonesia, and South Africa, this dissertation first argues that the nature of liberation movements creates a soft path dependence that affects party formation. Ethnically inclusive liberation movements create conditions conducive to the formation of multiethnic political parties. Yet after this juncture point of party formation, multiethnic politics have dominated India and Indonesia while South Africa has experienced a slow degeneration into ethnic politics. To explain this divergence, this dissertation next examines the interaction of election rules and ethnic cleavage structure. India and …

Examining The Alliance-Outcome Relationship: Reverse Causation, Third Variables, And Treatment Phase Artifacts, John Paul M. Reyes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Psychotherapy research reveals consistent associations between therapeutic alliance and treatment outcomes in the youth and adult literatures. Despite these consistent findings, prospective associations are not sufficient to support the claim that the alliance is a change mechanism in psychotherapy. The current study examined the direction of effect of the alliance-outcome relationship, the contribution of early symptom change in treatment to the development of therapeutic alliance, and the potential for pretreatment interpersonal functioning characteristics to be third variables that account for the association between alliance and outcome. Participants were adolescents with depression and a history of interpersonal trauma that presented to …

Africom's Impact On International And Human Security: A Case Study Of Tanzania, Mikenna Maroney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The expansion of U.S. military engagement in Africa is based on American national security interests. The objective of this research was to add to existing evaluations of the U.S. Combatant Command for Africa (AFRICOM) by taking an in-depth look at its impact through a case study of Tanzania and sought to answer three questions: What is the impact of AFRICOM on executing U.S. national security policy in Tanzania? To what extent has AFRICOM addressed the conditions of human insecurity in Tanzania? What is the public perception about AFRICOM among the Tanzanian public? To answer these questions this assessment utilized secondary …

Exploring How Advocacy Influences Policy Decisions Regarding Child Abuse And Neglect: Perspectives Of Political Leaders In Colorado, Rebecca Jane Miller Updike

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory case study examined the perspectives of state-level elected officials regarding what influences policy decisions related to child abuse and neglect issues. By interviewing six former state-level elected officials, the study explored what policy makers believe about their ability to impact child abuse policies, how they define, and ways they have experienced. evidence-based policy, and what they know about risk factors and protective factors with regard to child abuse-related policy. The study design was inspired by the Harvard Family Research Project's (2005) Bellwether Methodology, which bases advocacy strategy on the knowledge base and input from influential policy makers. The …

Comparing Integrative Complexity Of Holocaust Rescuers And Perpetrators, Fernando Alberto Ospina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To contribute to the social psychological literature on Holocaust rescue, this thesis seeks to explore possible connections between open-mindedness and rescuing during the Holocaust, a previously unexplored intersection in the social science literature. Open-mindedness is the ability and/or willingness to adopt alternative points of view (Peterson & Seligman, 2004), while rescuing entails helping others in high-risk circumstances without expectation of reward or compensation.

While most of the scientific study of psychology has focused on how human beings are flawed and damaged. People are seen as sick or damaged and the scientific study of psychology tends toward trying to alleviate these …

What Matters To Social Democratic Party Voters? Liberal And Economic Interests Trump Ethnoreligious Identity In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Joan Davison

Faculty Publications

Bosnia and Herzegovina possesses both a history marked by ethnic differences and a tradition of tolerance and coexistence among religious groups. The millet system of Ottoman times depended upon the authority of confessional communities. With the rise of nationalism in the 1800’s, religious identity and organization became complicated by ethnicity. Later, the authoritarianism of Tito enabled the state to accommodate this multinational, multi-religious character, uniting people as socialist Yugoslavs. Thus, the collapse of the socialist, Yugoslavian ideals and structures created new and sometimes polarizing choices for the population. Previously authoritarian government mediated religious and ethnic relations, but now coexistence depended …

Funding Public Services: Opinions Of Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans, 2013 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben, Eric Thompson

Nebraska Rural Poll

Most rural Nebraskans seem content with current levels of spending on many public services and activities. Over one-half propose no changes in the level of spending for most of the public services listed. Only one item, unemployment compensation, had a majority say they would like to see less spending for it. And, many rural Nebraskans would propose an increase in spending for education as well as roads and bridges.

Not surprising, many groups favor an increase in spending on items important to them. Younger persons are more likely than older persons to favor an increase in spending for education. Persons …

Monoamine Modulation Of Separation-Induced Ultrasonic Vocalizations In Preweanling F344 And Sd Rats, Cynthia Elizabeth Britt

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to determine if Fischer 344 (F344) rats, a strain which naturally shows deficits in social communication during adolescence, could be used as a model of the social communication deficits observed in autism. Thus, the goal was to determine if F344 rats would also show fewer emissions of isolated-induced ultrasonic vocalizations (an early onset form of social interaction) as compared to SD rats. Subjects consisted of 142 F344 rat pups (67 male and 75 female). Subjects were treated according to the "Guide for the Care and Use of Mammals in Neuroscience and Behavioral Research" under …

Post-Oppositional Culture Theory: Counter Narratives Of African American Preservice Teachers, Sonya Victoria Scott

Theses Digitization Project

This study seeks to counter the social narrative that African Americans resist schooling by examining African American post baccalaureate college students that have developed a passion for learning as demonstrated in their persistence and motivations to enter the teaching profession. Racially correlated disparities prevalent in standardized test scores, high school dropout rates and college eligibility remain one of the most pervasive educational dilemmas facing public schools across the nation. African Americans are identified as significantly under performing when compared to the average performance of white students.

Therapeutic Counseling Intervention: A Contribution To The Behavior And Academic Progress In Students With At-Risk Behaviors, Doris Ann Baker

Theses Digitization Project

This study investigated the impact of therapeutic counseling on at-risk and high-risk behaviors in at-risk students in School Mental Health Services Program in the Pomona Unified School District. These behaviors included fighting, defiance, class disruption, angry outbursts, substance abuse, property damage, gang affiliation, truancy, social withdrawal, depression, self-injury, and suicidal ideation.

When Means-Efficacy And Self-Efficacy Affect Performance: A Look At Locus Of Control, Patricia Padilla

Theses Digitization Project

Self-efficacy, means-efficacy, and locus of control have been found to affect performance. This study was a 2 x 2 x 2 between groups quasi-experiment, in 2 parts, designed to measure interaction between locus of control, self efficacy, and means-efficacy. Participants were 257 students at California State University, San Bernardino aged 18 through 63 years and about half were Hispanic females.

Religiosity And Spirituality: Meaningful Activities For Aging Adults, Andrew Phillip Rodriguez Bauer

Theses Digitization Project

This study examines the religious and spiritual activities that held the most value for older males and females, gender differences in these salient activities, and how elders rank church related activities with the idea of acquiring an understanding of the effects these activities had for the elderly. This study employed an in-person survey that used qualitative and quantitative methods to explore religiosity and spirituality. Participants were representative of the Christian religious and spiritual church congregations of the Inland Empire area, San Bernardino County.

Substance Abuse Among Elders, Yvonne Shubu-Ola Johnson

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to discover interventions that work best for substance abusing elders.