Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Resources Availability Impacts On Reading Habit And Literacy Attitude Of College Students In Tirunelveli District Central Library, Dr.P.Balasubramanian Subramanian Bala Subramanian, M Mohammed Yasir Mr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The focus of the present study is to analyse the reading habit and literacy attitude of the college students who use the Tirunelveli district central library. The present study tries analyse how the reading habits has an impact upon the literacy attitude of the college students who use the library. In order to analyse the impact of the library, the resources, facilities, infrastructures and staff service of the library has been taken as a factor and how they impact the reading habit and library usage of the respondents has been analysed and how does it positively impact the literacy attitude …

Investigation Of The Relationship Between Mindfulness And Empathy In Pre-Nursing Students Exposed To A Four-Week Mindfulness Training, Debra L. Klich

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To investigate the effects of a four-week mindfulness program on levels of mindfulness, empathy, and anxiety in a group of pre-nursing students.

Methods: This study utilized a multiple-baseline across subjects design. Results from nine study participants were examined.

Results: Data demonstrates that a detectable decrease in anxiety levels can result from participation in self-directed mindfulness program as short as four weeks. Results regarding mindfulness and empathy levels were less conclusive. A specific relationship between empathy and mindfulness cannot be determined from this study.

Conclusions: Because previous studies have demonstrated a persistence of skills, practice, and benefits acquired through mindfulness …

Mental Health Awareness And Advocacy: Assessment Tool Development And An Evaluation Of A College-Based Curriculum, Ty B. Aller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Students’ mental health issues are a common concern on college campuses and are often addressed via prevention programming called mental health literacy. This dissertation consists of two studies regarding mental health literacy programming for college students at a western university in the United States. In study one, the Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy Assessment Tool (MHAA-AT) was created and evaluated for its utility in assessing college students’ mental health literacy. This assessment tool is unique in that it is built upon a process-based approach to mental health literacy. The assessment tool demonstrated adequate psychometric properties and it was deemed an …

Small Group Learning Is Associated With Reduced Salivary Cortisol And Testosterone In Undergraduate Students, Kristin Snopkowski, Kathryn Demps, Ross Griffiths, Karen S. Fulk, Scott May, Kimberly Neagle, Kayla Downs, Michaela Eugster, Tessa Amend

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Small group learning activities have been shown to improve student academic performance and educational outcomes. Yet, we have an imperfect understanding of the mechanisms by which this occurs. Group learning may mediate student stress by placing learning in a context where students have both social support and greater control over their learning. We hypothesize that one of the methods by which small group activities improve learning is by mitigating student stress. To test this, we collected physiological measures of stress and self-reported perceived stress from 26 students in two undergraduate classes. Salivary cortisol and testosterone were measured within students across …

Does Knowledge Of Dating Violence Keep Deaf College Students At Gallaudet University Out Of Abusive Relationships?, Teresa Crowe Mason

JADARA

Domestic violence is a pervasive and insidious phenomenon in the United States and in the world. Studies of intimate partner violence among people with disabilities are scant and even more scarce for people who are deaf and hard of hearing. The research questions guiding this study are: How much do Gallaudet students know about intimate partner violence, and how many students have experienced abuse in their intimate relationships? The survey sample included a nonrandomized sample of 226 deaf and hard of hearing students at Gallaudet University. Results revealed that the students knew a great deal about intimate partner violence and …

Mental Health First Aid Training: Evaluating A Brief Training Intervention For College Students, Erica D. Sandtorv

ELAIA

Background Mental health literacy, or the public’s knowledge and beliefs about mental health, has been shown to be lacking; therefore, the proper first aid actions are not always taken to recognize and encourage treatment for psychological disorders (Burns & Rapee, 2006; Jorm et al., 1997; Jorm, 2012; Yap, Wright, & Jorm, 2011). This issue is particularly relevant in a university setting where mental health issues are common and students often rely on their peers for support (Hefner & Eisenberg, 2009; Kitzrow, 2009; Morse & Schulze, 2013). Studies have shown mental health first aid (MFHA) training to be successful in equipping …

Dog Days Of Final Exams: Using Canine-Assisted Therapy To Reduce Stress And Improve Mood Among Community College Students, Stephanie Quintana, Michelle Borckardt, Tanvi Aditya

Quest

Psi Beta Research Project

Research in progress for Psi Beta Mentored Research Group

Faculty Mentors: Jennifer L. O’Loughlin-Brooks and Joshua Arduengo

The following paper represents research conducted by members of the Collin College chapter of Psi Beta National Honor Society. Psi Beta is the national psychology honor society for two-year colleges whose mission is “promotion and recognition of excellence in scholarship, leadership, research, and community service.” Psi Beta advisors at Collin College teach the methodological essentials of behavioral science to interested Psi Beta members and then mentor them through a multiple-step research process. Specifically, students either work independently or in …

Components Of Fluency-Based Instruction In The College Classroom, Jennifer Kourassanis Velasquez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The current research regarding the use of fluency-based instruction (FBI) to teach academic skills suggests the addition of FBI to traditional instruction produces better learning outcomes than traditional instruction alone. However, there is a lack of comparative research of the addition of FBI to traditional instruction vs. traditional instruction alone on student performance outcomes with college students. The present study was composed of two experiments to examine the effects of the addition of a component of FBI using a modified SAFMEDS (Say All Fast Minute Every Day Shuffled) strategy to traditional instruction within the course’s existing curriculum on quiz and …

Decreasing Stress Through An Emotion Regulation And Non-Judging Based Intervention With Trauma-Exposed College Students, Megan Cherry

Doctoral Dissertations

Among college students, trauma and PTSD symptomatology are associated with negative consequences (e.g., poor academic performance, stress sensitivity, and negative coping). College is often a stressful time, and those who have experienced trauma, particularly those experiencing PTSD symptoms, are vulnerable to heightened stress sensitivity and negative outcomes. It is imperative to identify interventions that decrease stress for trauma-exposed college students to reduce the deleterious effects of related outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine whether emotion regulation and non-judgment could be enhanced in trauma-exposed college students through a short, mindfulnessbased intervention, and whether the intervention would lead to …

An Examination Of The Relationships Between Message Framing, Regulatory Focus, And Psychological Reactance On Risky Health Decision-Making Among College Students, Mallory B. Garza

Doctoral Dissertations

Excessive alcohol use and risky sexual behaviors are common health-related concerns among college campuses throughout the United States. Previous efforts to thwart such risky health behaviors have resulted in limited success. Therefore, it is crucial that researchers learn how to effectively communicate with college students in ways that increase healthy behaviors and decrease unhealthy behaviors among this particular population. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of message framing, regulatory focus, and psychological reactance on motivating college students to take a more proactive approach in regard to their health and wellbeing. Data from this study were …

Bystander Intervention, Victimization, And Routine Activities Theory: An Examination Of Feminist Routine Activities Theory In Cyber Space, Jennifer A. Leili

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Routine Activities Theory (RAT) is one of the most widely used theories to explain victimization. It has been applied to a wide range of criminal victimizations, such as property crimes (Miethe, Stafford, & Long, 1987) and urban murder (Messner & Tardiff, 1985). While traditional RAT has been used to explain violence against women, the feminist perspective of RAT developed by Schwartz and Pitts (1995) provides a better explanation by incorporating cultural factors that shape the conditions that give rise to offending. The current study draws on feminist RAT in order to explore three different types of victimization involving women: stalking, …

Dropping The Invisibility Cloak: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Sense Of Belonging And Place Identity Among Rural, First Generation, Low Income College Students From Appalachian Kentucky, Brenda Abbott

Doctoral Dissertations

In a country that once was 95% rural in the late 1700s, only 19.3% of the population of the United States now live in rural areas (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). The shift in population from rural to urban areas is not simply demographic; it imbues a shift in who and what matters. Only 13.6% of adults over 25 in Appalachian Kentucky have earned bachelor's degrees, 18.9% below the national average (Appalachian Regional Commission, 2016). This phenomenological study seeks to understand how rural, first generation, low income college students from Appalachian Kentucky experience a sense of belonging in their first year …

Embracing Relapse: For College Students, Consider It A Gift, Charlynn Small

University Staff Publications

The transition from high school to college can be an awesome experience. In addition to establishing independence from parents, students need to learn how to negotiate the norms of new social groups, set healthy boundaries, and make decisions about finances, academics and career planning. Other more personal decisions include whether to engage in sex or substance use. Faced with these kinds of decisions, many of which have serious consequences, students can easily become overwhelmed.

Late Adolescent Evaluating Responsibility Attributions And Social Distance Preferences Toward Peers With Mental Illnesses, Hannah Jo Turner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of A Brief Online Alcohol Intervention For College Students: The Role Of Race-Specific Normative Feedback, Racial/Ethnic Identity, And Readiness To Change, Jacob Scharer

Dissertations

Brief online interventions are effective for reducing alcohol use among college students. However, some research has suggested that these interventions may be less effective for African American students. This study evaluated the acceptability and efficacy of a widely available brief online alcohol intervention in a sample of African American and Caucasian college students through a randomized controlled trial. The aims of this study were to determine if providing race-specific normative feedback impacted treatment efficacy for African American students, and if this effect was moderated by racial/ethnic identity and readiness to change. Participants were 310 heavy drinking African American and Caucasian …

Correlates Of Attitudes Toward Violence And Dating Violence Perpetration Among U.S. College Students, Jeongsuk Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Dating violence is a serious and prevalent problem among college students. Research on dating violence has pinpointed early exposure to violence as a strong predictor of violence perpetration in later life. However, little is known about the particular correlates or mechanisms that facilitate college students’ attitudes supporting violence and dating violence perpetration after early exposure to violence. The goals of this three-manuscript dissertation were (1) Chapter 2: to examine the relationship between three forms of violent socialization during childhood and attitudes supporting interpersonal violence; (2) Chapter 3: to examine the moderating effect of pro-violence messages in the relationship between …

The Influence Of Adhd Symptoms And Social Functioning On Anxiety And Depression Symptoms In College Students, Danielle Willis

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has shown that Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with impaired social functioning in children and adolescents. ADHD and poor social functioning have been shown to be separately associated with increased anxiety and depression symptoms as well. However, little research has examined these associations among college students. College is a transitional period of increased stress and exposure to new social situations for all students, but may be even more challenging for those with ADHD, who are already at risk for increased internalizing problems and impairment in social functioning. The current study aimed to examine the influence of ADHD symptoms …

Media Influence On College Students' Perceptions Of The Police, Matilda Foster

Theses and Dissertations

The first of Sir Robert Peel’s nine principles of law enforcement (1829) tells us that the police exist to prevent crime. However, the next six principles address the police’s need to develop a relationship with the public and maintain the publics’ approval, favor, respect, and voluntary cooperation. Although these principles were written in 1829, they still apply to police organizations today. This paper addresses the struggles policing organizations in the United States of America had over the years in maintaining these principles of law enforcement, the strategies the police have used to increase public approval, and factors associated with how …

The Impact Of Perceived Support On Multi-Cultural And International College Students In Utah, Erin Kaseda, Wendy Birmingham

Journal of Undergraduate Research

College is a time in which young adults face a large number of stressors, including academic adjustment, education and career planning, evolving family relationships, struggles with financial independence, dating and marriage, and exposure to new cultures and ideas.1 Previous studies have suggested that college students face high levels of stress, with 75% of college students reporting themselves as moderately stressed and 12% as highly stressed.2 Prolonged stress can have serious effects on both mental and physical health, including an increased likelihood of developing symptoms of depression and anxiety, decreased immune function, sleep disruption, poor cardiovascular health, increased body mass, and …

Investing In Education: Impact Of Student Financial Stress On Self-Reported Health, Stephen Poplaski, Randy Kemnitz, Cliff A. Robb

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Through the lens of Human Capital theory, the role of financial aid (both amount and type) is explored in the context of student financial stress, and ultimately general student health. Data are taken from a sample of 232 students from a major Midwestern university who were surveyed about their financial attitudes, behavior and knowledge. The presence and amount of federal loans was associated with self-reported financial stress, and the validated stress measure was further associated with students’ self-reported health. A number of personal life events (i.e. job loss) were also associated with higher stress levels. Implications are discussed.

University And College Counseling Centers: Collegiate Athletes Shifting Changes In Mental Health Risk, Lilly Bautista, Rachelle Clayson, Jared Klundt, Davey Erekson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Within the college population, student athletes are often considered a unique population for mental health concerns. There are more student athletes than ever before, with over 460,000 students participating in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA, 2016). Student athletes have access to more resources than the typical student, but the amount of utilization and extent of these resources can vary greatly. Specifically, the utilization of university and college counseling centers.

Ethnoracial Comparisons In Psychotherapy Outcomes Among Native Hawaiian And Pacific Islander College Students, Jared Isaac Cline

Theses and Dissertations

Variables such as stigma, weak ethnic identity, and cultural mistrust have been linked to the underutilization of therapy amongst ethnic minority populations. As such, ethnic minority populations may reach a higher threshold of distress-including areas such as anxiety and depression-before seeking professional help. While there is substantial research documenting ethnic differences among various ethnic minority populations (e.g., African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics) very little research has been conducted exploring differences among individuals from Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) backgrounds. For the current study, we explored differences in distress upon intake as well as the change in anxiety and depression …

"We've Always Been Like Kind Of Kicked To The Curb." A Qualitative Analysis On Experiences Of Discrimination And Its Effect On Self-Esteem Among College Students, Cindy Mahoney

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Objective: The goal of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the relationship between mental health, discrimination, and self-esteem among college students. To further explore this concept, focus group interviews were conducted as a follow up.

Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a total of five existing literatures was systematically analyzed. Data analytic tables were used to collect information on population and study characteristics for the first part. The focus groups were transcribed verbatim and results were thematically analyzed to identify emergent constructs.

Results: There is a substantial relationship between mental …

The Association Between Attachment And Conflict Resolution During Friendship Conflict Among College Students, Alison Hamlet

Theses and Dissertations

This study is about college students' attachment to friends and how conflict resolution is related to the level of attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. Studies have found low attachment anxiety and low attachment avoidance to be related to effective coping strategies and to the compromising conflict resolution style. Many studies have focused on how participants generally resolve conflict. The current study is focused on how participants have actually resolved conflict and how they believe they would resolve conflict in a hypothetical situation. Participants answered if they could think of a conflict with a friend in the past 6 months and …

Examining The Effects Of Exposure To Nature On Well-Being: Implications For College Campuses, Fatimah T. Majors

Honors College Theses

Humans attraction to the natural environment stems from our evolutionary tendencies. Biophilia is defined by E.O. Wilson as the “innate tendency to focus on life and lifelike processes (Wilson, 1984, p. 1).” Recent studies have shown that spending time outside in nature is beneficial to physical and mental health as well as well-being. Nature is filled with intriguing things such as animals, plants, fresh air and other aspects which can help an individual replenish. Some of these benefits include stress reduction, opportunities and motivation to complete tasks. Research indicates that adults who work in offices would perform better if they …

The Relationship Between Substance Abuse, Intimate Partner Violence And Sexual Assault In College Students, Erin K. Deotte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Numerous studies demonstrate linkages between substance abuse, intimate partner violence (IPV), and/or sexual assault (e.g., Nabors, 2009; Rivera, Phillips, Warshaw, Lyon, Bland, & Kaewken, 2015; Santana, Raj, Decker, & Silverman, 2006). For ages, college students have been associated with substance abuse (e.g., Hingson, Zha, and Weitzman, 2009; O’Malley & Johnston, 2002). Substance abuse has been associated with IPV and sexual assault (Nabors, 2009; Rivera, Phillips, Warshaw, Lyon, Bland, & Kaewken, 2015; Santana, Raj, Decker, & Silverman, 2006). Although much research has been conducted on the relationships between substance abuse and intimate partner violence (including sexual violence), little research has been …

Bell, William Langston "Will," B. 1992 (Fa 1296), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1296. Student folk studies project titled “Games in the Minton Residence Hall of Western Kentucky University,” which includes games collected from Honors College students at the university. Interviews may include game descriptions and rules, and informant name and location. The digital files are stored in the Sound Archives.

The Relationship Between Leadership Style And Personality Type Among College Students, Samantha Easley

Honors Theses

A successful leader must evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each team member in order to ensure the most workplace success. Research has shown that an individual’s personality type is related to his or her personality style and contributes to how well someone responds to the leadership style. The goal of this study was to look at the personality types of undergraduate college students and assess the relationship to their preferred leadership styles. A positive relationship between both personality traits openness and extraversion with a more transformational leadership style. A positive relationship between both personality traits conscientiousness and neuroticism with …

Exposure To Suicide Within College Students: A Replication Study, Ryan Woodzell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. College students have increased exposure to suicidal ideation and deaths by suicide and may experience suicidal ideation as a means of escape from emotional pain or from severe psychopathology. There are a number of risk factors that are present which make a person more susceptible to dying by suicide. One of those risk factors is past exposure to suicide. The present study is an analysis of the exposure to suicide that is present on a college campus. This report includes an in-depth review of the literature on suicide exposure, …

You Can Go Your Own Way : Examining The Pathways Of College Student Leaders, Margaret Judith Toich

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

According to the International Leadership Association, more than 2,000 academic and co-curricular programs exist at universities across the nation (Guthrie, Teig, & Hu, 2018). Evaluation of programs is largely piecemeal—meaning that the additive effects of these programs are not examined. The purpose of this study is to address the current gap in the literature by holistically assessing the impact that these leadership experiences have on the participating students rather than looking at the consequences of these experiences individually. The current study uses 99 students’ data from a five- year, multi-institutional, longitudinal study to examine the pathways that these undergraduate students …