Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Successful Aging In The United States And China : A Theoretical Basis To Guide Nursing Research, Practice, And Policy., Valerie Lander Mccarthy, Hong Ji, Jiying Ling

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Successful aging is an idea gaining increasing attention given the exponential growth in the older adult population. Criteria and definitions within multiple disciplines vary greatly in Western literature, with no consensus on its meaning. Moreover, sociocultural, economic and political differences between the Western view of successful aging and its use in China – with the world’s largest older adult population – add to the confusion. Similarities and differences in the meaning of successful aging in the United States and China are examined and the potential for a common definition that is useful to nursing in both countries is explored. Using …

Interleukin-6 And Soluble Interleukin-6 Receptor Levels In Posttraumatic Stress Disorder : Associations With Lifetime Diagnostic Status And Psychological Context., Tamara L. Newton, Rafael Fernandez-Botran, James J. Miller, Vicki Ellison Burns

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

This study correlated lifetime PTSD diagnostic status with interleukin-6 (IL-6) and soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R) levels, and tested whether these correlations are sensitive to psychological context. Midlife women attended two research visits where blood was drawn (beginning of visits) and saliva and oral mucosal transudate were collected (beginning and end of visits) to measure IL-6 and sIL-6R. Women were classified as PTSD−/− (past and current symptoms below subsyndromal levels), PTSD+/− (past symptoms at or above subsyndromal levels), or PTSD +/+ (past and current symptoms at or above subsyndromal levels). PTSD+/+ women, compared to the other women, showed more negative emotion …

Perchloroetylene And Dibutyltin Dichloride Removal From Packed Column By Surfactant Solution, Seelawut Damrongsiri, Chantra Tongcumpou, David A. Sabatini

Applied Environmental Research

Surfactant enhanced remediation is viewed as a potential method for removing organometallic compounds from contaminated aquifers. Dibutyltin dichloride (DBT), as a representative organometallic compound, was applied in sand packed columns to observe its solubilization behavior compared to that of perchloroetylene (PCE), a normal organic solvent. Ottawa sand was used as the porous media. A mixture of DBT and PCE was applied as the contaminant. The tracer study exhibited the plug flow condition with a retention time of 79.9 min. The surfactant solution was a mixture of 3.6 wt% SDHS and 0.4 wt% C16DPDS with various concentrations of CaCl2.The column experiments …

The Challenge Of Promoting Greater Use Of Economic Instruments In Thailand: Lessons Learned From The Draft Act On Economic Instruments For Environmental Management, Sujitra Vassanadumrongdee, Panate Manomaivibool

Applied Environmental Research

Current policies and plans geared toward green growth/green economy emphasize the greater use of economic instruments. This paper reviews the past and current application of economic instruments (EIs) in environmental management in Thailand. Insights gained from documentary research indicate that EIs such as product taxes through collection of excise taxes have been relatively effective, whilst user charges for solid waste and waste water treatment have been found to be unsuccessful in Thailand. Lessons learned from the draft Act on Economic Instruments for Environmental Management indicate several institutional constraints towards the extensive application of EIs. This paper provides some suggestions to …

Determination Towards Decision Of Public Response In Flood Situation: Case Study In Urban Flood Prone Area In Central Region In Thailand, I-Soon Raungratanaamporn

Applied Environmental Research

Public involvement has become a crucial part in increasing the efficiency of disaster management activities nowadays. In particular, collaboration between civil society and municipalities emerge in disaster situations because uncertainties in personal perception compel them to do so more than their own willingness to involved in disaster management activity. Since this appears to have occurred as a response to the 2011 flood situation in Thailand, the question is how a successful was this collaboration? The aim of this research is to identify factors influencing people's involvement in disaster management activity. The two study objectivesare as follows: (1) to elucidate the …

Effects Of Organic Fertilizer On Cd Bioavailability And Cd Accumulation In Rice Grown In Contaminated Paddy Soil, Mongkolchai Assawadithalerd, Meechai Siangliw, Chantra Tongcumpou

Applied Environmental Research

The effects of organic fertilizer on Cd phytoavailability and distribution in rice plants(Oryza sativaL.) were examined in pot and field experiments. The results of the pot experiment show that the addition of organic fertilizer increased the oxidizable Cd fraction(F3) and decreased the soluble and exchangeable Cd fraction (F1). There was also an increase in the dry matter yield when more organic fertilizer was applied. The Cd concentrations in the rice plant parts were observed in the following order: root > stem > grain. The accumulation index from the field experiment indicates that organic fertilizer application is likely to reducethe uptake of both …

“Parallel Poleis”: Towards A Theoretical Framework Of The Modern Public Sphere, Civic Engagement And The Structural Advantages Of The Internet To Foster And Maintain Parallel Socio-Political Institutions, Taso Logos, Ted Coopman, Jonathan Tomhave

Faculty Publications

The role of the internet in large-scale demonstrations, as witnessed in the Arab Spring, has been debated and reflects continued interest in the intermingling of social movements and digital technology. Yet behind these large photogenic events stand other less obvious social activities that may be equally profound, particularly in the form of alternative institutional frameworks that better meet the social needs of individuals than current models. We categorize these “dissident” frameworks as “parallel poleis” as developed by Czech philosopher and activist Vaclav Benda and offer two case studies to support this contention. At the heart of parallel poleis lies the …

Social Media: An Effective Tool For Risk And Crisis Communication?, William Kelly

Master's Projects

No abstract provided.

Impacts Of The Open Door Policy And Globalization On Income Inequality In China Between The 20th Century And The Early 21st Century, Qili Jin

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

Before economic reform, the Chinese economy experienced a long period of recession. The creation of Open Door Policy re-introduced globalization to China, modernized the country’s economy, and boosted citizens’ standards of living, especially for people who live in the Special Economic Zone and Tier 1 cities. As globalization re-emerged, extreme income inequality became one of the hottest topics. Prior research leads to the hypothesis that re-introduction of globalization led by the Open Door Policy increased income inequality in China. While international inequality focuses on the unequal distribution on a global scale, domestic income inequality is defined as the how material …

Female Relational Aggression: A Case Study Investigation Of The Transitioning Out Process, Lynne Lunsford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The developmental trajectory of relational aggression (RA) can launch as early as preschool and escalate from early to middle childhood, yet it is a phenomenon that may or may not endure the adult years. There is adequate understanding of relational aggression in the active phase, yet research that edifies the transitioning out process is dearth. Through a qualitative case study research design, the narratives of six females who ceased using RA enlightened the process of desistance. All females described the transitioning out process as having an identifiable turning point accompanied by cognitive and emotional shifts associated with recognizing, valuing, and …

The Influence Of Religiosity And Adult Attachment Style On Marital Satisfaction Among Korean Christian Couples Living In South Korea, Dae Woon Cho

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of religious commitment, spirituality and adult attachment style on marital satisfaction among South Korean Christian couples living in South Korea. Three hundred sixty nine South Korean Christian couples from nine Presbyterian churches in Seoul, Dejeon, Daegu, Gumi, and Busan participated in this research. The current study evaluated the psychometric utility of the Spiritual Assessment Scale (SAS) and investigated the relationships among religiosity (religious commitment and spirituality), attachment style (anxious and avoidant attachment) and marital satisfaction. For the psychometric evaluation of the SAS, Confirmatory Factor Analysis was conducted for the …

Handling Risk: Testosterone And Risk Preference, Evidence From Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tobias Sytsma

Master's Theses

The relationship between testosterone and risk aversion is of increasing interest in the experimental economics. Using the ratio of the second digit to the fourth digit (2D:4D) as a rough indicator of level of prenatal testosterone exposure, this study attempts to replicate recent results from Garbarino et al., (2011), which found that individuals with digit ratios above the sample average were significantly more risk averse, and individuals with digit ratios one standard deviation below the sample average were significantly more risk seeking in a subject pool of male and female Caucasian students. Here, a subject pool from Dhaka, Bangladesh, is …

Land As Power, An Analysis Of Female Land Inheritance And Intrahousehold Bargaining In Rwanda, Eric Adebayo

Master's Theses

Do increased levels of female land inheritance lead to increases in female intrahousehold bargaining power? Analysis of an expansive Rwandan household survey dataset from 2010-2011 suggests that female land inheritances are positively associated with female intrahousehold bargaining power. The results support the relative efficacy of intrahousehold bargaining models over that of unitary household models. The findings have implications for Rwandan lawmakers debating changes to the country's “Succession law” which makes gender discrimination in land inheritance illegal. This is the first paper of its kind to estimate female land inheritance's effect on bargaining power in Rwanda.

Changing The Course Of Comorbid Eating Disorders And Depression: What Is The Role Of Public Health Interventions In Targeting Shared Risk Factors?, Carolyn Becker, Maribel Plasencia, Lisa S. Kilpela, Morgan Briggs, Tiffany Stewart

Psychology Faculty Research

Public health has a productive history of improving global health due to its focus on reaching large populations using effective and scalable interventions. Yet, the marriage between evidence-based science and the implementation of community/public health interventions within mental illness remains underdeveloped. Research suggests that major depression is the most commonly cited comorbidity for eating disorders (EDs). Thus, identification of public health strategies that jointly impact depression and EDs, including shared risk factors, has the potential to significantly impact mental health suffering. The primary aim of this paper is to examine and discuss such public health approaches as well as explore …

Attitudes And Behavioral Intentions Of Eighth-Grade Students Toward Figures Of Varying Body Weight, Erin L. Mcleary

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The current study examined attitudes toward and willingness to interact of 8th grade students toward their peers based on peer weight status. One-hundred-seventy primarily Caucasian, eighth-grade students (72 male, 98 female) from a public elementary school viewed a picture of a potential peer who was either average weight, overweight, or obese. After viewing the figure, participants completed The Adjective Checklist and The Shared Activity Questionnaire-B (SAQ-B. The Adjective Checklist measured attitudes toward obesity and the SAQ-B measured how they would interact with the potential peer in general social, academic, and active recreational situations. It was hypothesized that girls would rate …

Marital Preparation, Experiences, And Personal Qualities In A Qualitative Study Of Individuals In Great Marriages, Jennifer M. Weiss

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The current study presents findings regarding marital preparation for individuals in great marriages. Data from a national qualitative study of individuals in self-identified great marriages were used. Thirty-eight individuals were identified as being married for 20 years or less, and therefore, chosen as the subsample for the current study. Their rich, narrative responses were analyzed and coded, using a qualitative method, to identify what marriage preparation occurred for these couples prior to marriage and contributed to their successful marriages. Findings from this research provide helpful, descriptive data on the experiences and socialization of individuals that influenced their choice in a …

The Role Of Religious Affiliation And Attitudes In Marriage Maintenance Strategies, Chenika Fowler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was conducted to explore associations among marital maintenance strategies, religious experiences, and marital quality in a sample of 80 married college students. Maintenance strategies are tactics used by couple members to sustain healthy relationships/marriages, and include both cognitive (e.g., choosing to focus on the positive aspects of the partner) and behavioral (e.g., engaging in shared activites) strategies. Specific patterns of association among religious practices and beliefs, particular maintenance strategies, and marital-quality outcomes were assessed in order to better understand pathways to optimal marital functioning for religiously affiliated individuals.

Most participants were affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ …

The Mental Health Disparity Among Nonheterosexuals: Risk, Resiliency, And New Perspectives To Consider In The Context Of Mormonism, Katherine Ann Crowell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nonheterosexuals disproportionately experience mental illness when compared with heterosexuals. Although it has been well established that the apparent mental health disparity among sexually diverse populations is almost exclusively derived from minority stress (i.e., the excess stress associated with culturally maintained sexual stigma), our understanding of how specific aspects of minority stress lead to specific psychological syndromes (e.g., depression) remains limited. On the other hand, in attempts to destigmatize individuals who do not identify as heterosexual, researchers have increasingly begun to shift the focus of their work towards understanding the specific characteristics or experiences that facilitate individuals’ capacity to adapt and …

Analysis Of Building Resiliency In An Ethiopian Pastoral System: Mitigating The Effects Of Population And Climate Change On Food Insecurity, Brigham Forrest

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Worldwide expenditures on international development in the form of assistance or “aid” have continued to increase as developed countries look to both help and influence developing countries. In 2011, more than $140 billion in development aid was distributed globally, more than double the amount expended for international development aid in 2003. Many of the countries that are in need of aid have governments that do not have the resources, the experience, political stability, or well-functioning institutions to effect long-term structural change to bring their people out of poverty.

Ethiopia is a country receiving large amounts of development aid, and one …

Understanding Experiences Of Female Survivors Of Domestic Violence: Stories Of Strength, Resilience, And Mechanisms That Assist In Leaving Violent Relationships, Annel Cordero

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A qualitative study was conducted in order to better understand domestic violence (DV) survivors’ lived experiences and the mechanisms that assisted them in leaving violent relationships. This method of research enabled me to immerse myself within the work in order to better understand this issue from the perspective of the survivors. Through in-depth interviews and focus groups, women were given the space to have their voices heard. For this project, 13 women from two different states, of diverse ages, sexual orientations, and ethnicities who identified as survivors volunteered to tell their stories. To obtain a complete picture of their experiences, …

Doctoral Dissertation Research In Marriage And Family Therapy (Mft): A Content Analysis, Clinton L. Broadbent

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Over the past 60 years, the field of marriage and family therapy (MFT) has experienced tremendous growth due largely to many charismatic pioneers in the field. These pioneers performed various research studies but lacked a focus on quality empirical research. Over the past 20 years, many MFT researchers have started to perform these studies, which in turn, have pointed the field in a positive direction in terms of research excellence. Doctoral dissertations offer unique and valuable insights into the current state of research as a field as well as give us a better idea of how we are doing at …

An Evaluation Of The Food Web Dynamics And Predator Prey Interactions In Scofield Reservoir, Lisa K. Winters

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Reservoirs are artificial, dynamic, and highly manipulated systems, where the appearance of either intentionally or unintentionally introduced species may disrupt interactions within an already complex food web. In some situations, a top predator fish may be stocked as a biological control agent, if these fish-eating predators monopolize on the nuisance and unwelcome prey. Scofield Reservoir, Utah has historically been an extremely popular blue-ribbon fishery. However, a recent decrease in rainbow trout catch and increase in the minnow, Utah chub, have made it difficult to find a balance between providing the public with a trophy sport fishery and maintaining an ecologically …

The Process Of Couples' Experiences In A Brief Intervention, D. Jim Mock

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many couples struggle with their relationship, but resist seeking professional assistance due to concerns about time commitment, financial expense, and/or fear of stigma associated with treatment. To address these concerns the relationship checkup has been developed. Though there has been limited research of this format, there is still much to be explored. This study presents the findings from semi-structured interviews of ten couples who participated in a form of this intervention and their corresponding clinicians. Each interview was analyzed for commonalities among the responses and distilled into two sets of themes: the couples' and the clinicians'. Themes for the couples …

The Effectiveness Of A Video-Based Preference Assessment In Identifying Socially Reinforcing Stimuli, Rachelle N. Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The following study was conducted to find out more about a video test that could identify social activities that are motivating for individuals with disabilities. Commonly tests can be administered to find what physical items, food, toys, games and so forth, are preferred but the process becomes infinitely more difficult when social activities and interactions are involved. Research has shown that participation in reinforcing social experiences is critical for development and crucial in social skill building. In this study, a video-based test was analyzed to see how effective it was in identifying these socially preferred activities in three individuals with …

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative And U.S. Energy Markets, Kangil Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The dynamic mutual relationship between the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) carbon permit price and energy prices in the U.S. is examined. Results show that the RGGI and electricity markets are not closely linked, although the carbon permit price is usually closely interrelated with energy prices. The loose relationship between the RGGI and electricity markets can be explained by the recent low carbon credit demand which stems from the low greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions existent in the particular area covered by the RGGI. The low GHG emissions result from fuel switching due to recent low natural gas prices. Unlike the …

The Larrison Group (Tlg) Political Consulting And Fundraising Internship: Lessons Learned, Sadelle Crabb

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The Larrison Group (TLG) is a boutique political consulting firm located in Georgetown in the District of Columbia. The firm was founded by the current president, Ms. Heather Larrison. TLG fundraises for various clients including several current Senators and Congressional candidates. Some past and present clients include: Governor Hailey Barbour of Mississippi, Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, and Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah. TLG also provides political consulting and event planning services for multiple CEO' s in the New York City area. The internship is a paid position of two $600 stipends per month. Overall, I spent roughly 1,050 hours …

Impact Of Resident Assistants And Community On Student Grades, Kayla Arrington

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

On-campus student housing at any university has the opportunity to positively impact student experiences. This exploratory study looks at how frequency of interaction with the Resident Assistant (RA) and interaction with the residence hall community, sense of community, social self-efficacy, and academic self-concept correlate with academic success. This study is intended to show the effect the Resident Assistant has on students' academic and social experiences in apartment-style housing. Therefore, this study also looks at how variables are related to each other in order to give Resident Assistants a better understanding of their sphere of influence in a community. The relationships …

Crony Chronicles Website Redesign, Lindsey Marie Mcbride

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The policy team at the Charles Koch Institute is broken into different areas of research. During my summer internship, I was assigned to research crony capitalism with four other members of the policy team. Along with their research on crony capitalism, these team members maintained a website called cronychronicles.org. For a definition of crony capitalism, or cronyism, see Appendix C. The goal of the website was to be "the leading online resource for everything related to cronyism" (About Us). I was very interested in the research I was conducting on crony capitalism, and enjoyed contributing information to the Crony Chronicles …

Business Honors Internship Final Report: U.S. House Of Representatives, Adam T. Stewart

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

From May 6^th through August 9^th of 2013, I had the choice opportunity to intern for Congressman Rob Bishop in the United States House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. I consider this experience monumental in my undergraduate career. No other experience has allowed me to utilize all of the knowledge and skills gained in my dual economics and political science degrees.

Contextual Differences In Reinforcement Affect Self-Control In Shr And Wky Subjects, Jonathan C. Rich

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) is the outcome of selectively breeding its progenitor the Wistar Kyoto (WKY) for hypertension. In the present experiment, the context of reinforcement was manipulated to determine its effect on impulsivity across the SHR and WKY strains of rat. An additional block of delays was added onto the end of a standard delay discounting procedure to vary the context of reinforcement from one condition (0 sec.) to the next (60 sec.). Results indicate that both SHR and WKY subjects made fewer impulsive decisions when a shorter delay followed the longest delay in the task - although …