Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Working In New York City With A Disability: Nowhere Near Easy, Milette S. U. Millington

Capstones

This project investigates the common challenges that people with disabilities faced prior to COVID-19 when finding a job and keeping it, and explores how the pandemic may have changed things.

Project link: https://milettem98.wixsite.com/portfolio/capstone

Retail Workers On The Frontlines, Anthony L. Medina

Capstones

Retail work culture has been forever altered by COVID 19. The pandemic shook what was life in New York City. Two years later the nation continues to grapple with the impact of the virus.

Next to frontline workers, retail workers who man the cashiers and maintain the sales floors at big chain stores that sell socks, shirts, shoes and other everyday items are just as vulnerable to the physical and social impact of the pandemic and in some ways provide services just as essential to health care workers.

This photo essay shares the lives of three Brooklyn natives: Cheyann Harris, …

Changes In Body Image, Eating Behaviors, And Exercise During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Megan Gressley

Honors Projects

The Covid-19 pandemic transformed many different aspects of life as many individuals were sent home from school or work and were confined within their homes. Within restricted life, individuals experienced changes in their social lives, eating habits, and day-to-day routine. Within this research study I chose to examine how individuals' lives changed directly from the year before the Covid-19 pandemic to the first year of domestic shutdown. A sample of BGSU undergraduate students responded to a survey questioning them on their behaviors, feelings, and attitudes among these time periods. Results showed that individuals experienced significantly more disordered eating within the …

Determining The Psychosocial Needs Of The Nurses Of Covid-19 Patients, Allison Stevens

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Nurses are a vital element of the COVID-19 healthcare crisis and have been since the beginning of the COVID-19 response. The professional strain put on nurses included, but is not limited to: changing professional roles, rapidly changing policies and procedures, an influx of patients—particularly of high acuity, and change in workplace morale. However, nurses also had to carry the burdens of living as a member of society, family member, friend, community member, and above all, simply as a person surviving a pandemic themselves. With all of the stressors nurses have endured, it stands to reason that their psychosocial needs have …

News Media Trust And Mistrust During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kaitlyn Seiter

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the uncertainty and growing information surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, news media consumption has increased drastically compared to pre-pandemic consumption. At the start of the pandemic, 94% of Americans reported closely following COVID-19 news, with more than half of Americans spending more than two hours consuming COVID-19 news everyday (SSRS, 2020). With the news media serving as a critical source of information through this public health crisis, the public’s reactions, behaviors, and attitudes to the pandemic stem from the level of trust they have in the news media to share COVID-19 information. Because of this, this study examines trust in …

Reimagine 2021, Bryanna Amezcua

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

United Way of Santa Cruz has been a resource for the community for many years. Sadly, after the pandemic hit, it caused many financial hardships for the nonprofit organization. There is a lack of economic support for nonprofits all over the US that could be heard around the world. United Way exists to be able to support those in need, but at this moment they cannot provide that support without help. This is due to several reasons including high rates of unemployment, decreased spending during the pandemic, and reduced person-to-person contact with potential donors. All these factors contribute to the …

Mental Health And Adolescents: The Impact Of Social Isolation In Adolescents During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gabriella Aguinaldo

Nursing | Senior Theses

In early 2020, the coronavirus pandemic, first detected in late 2019, afflicted the world. The disease associated with the virus became known as COVID-19. COVID-19 was recognized as a highly contagious and deadly disease. In California, United States, COVID-19 was detected in February and the first shelter-in-place orders were ordered by the counties and state, which forced children and adults to stay at home and attend school and work virtually. Shelter-in-place orders were quickly implemented around the world.

As the world began this sudden switch in lifestyle, many were concerned for the mental health and safety of themselves and their …

Coping With The Pandemic In College, Sam Beery

Honors Projects

This experiment studied the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of a college population from spring 2021 to fall 2021. It measured levels of stress, anxiety, coping strategies, depression, and social support reported by participants via several well validated psychological surveys. It was created with Qualtrics and distributed via advertisements in Campus Update and the SONA scheduler.

Examining Public Health Risk Communication Via Social Media By Provincial And Local Health Authorities In Ontario During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Marc Resendes

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Risk communication campaigns are essential during public health crises to inform the public about ways to mitigate, alleviate and manage potential risks. The purpose of this study was to describe risk communication on social media by Ontarian health authorities amid COVID-19, in addition to examining the strategies that guided their social media use. This was completed through (a) a narrative review of risk communication literature; (b) a qualitative content analysis of select health authority Twitter messaging following three major COVID-19 milestones; and (c) key informant interviews with those coordinating social media responses to COVID-19. Information giving and news updates were …

Growing During A Global Crisis, Ahmad E. Shahin

Theses and Dissertations

Employing the data from the World Bank Enterprise surveys, we examine how the first shock of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected firm dynamics across the world. Our first group of robust models have tested the effect of internal firms’ managerial decisions and other external factors on the sales’ growth, where we found that the most important decisions are related to preserving and increasing liquidity levels, in addition to utilizing the workforce in giving more input to maintain and grow the firms’ sales. Our second group of robust models have tested the firms’ financial decisions and other external factors on the …

Unscheduled Events, Stock Returns, And Market Efficiency: A Covid-19 Case Study Of Industry Leaders, Nathan R. Durham

Honors College Theses

This thesis explores the effects of unscheduled events on stock market returns due to increased uncertainty. A case study is done on the Coronavirus pandemic for the dates of March 9th, 2020, through March 23rd , 2020. The findings allow for short-run and long-run narratives where long-run returns, and short-run volatility explain how the role of psychology and different forecasting strategies are used to differentiate industry outcomes and technology sector returns.

The Impact Of Social Distancing And Loneliness On Adolescents' Mental Health During Covid-19, Marielena Barbieri

Masters Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely limited physical interaction (e.g., school closures, 6ft- distances, quarantine) and disrupted the daily lives of adolescents which likely heightened levels of perceived loneliness and internalizing symptomology. Due to the novelty of social distancing regulations caused by COVID-19, little is known about the role that loneliness plays in the association between stress from social distancing regulations and adherence to these regulations, and later difficulties with internalizing symptoms. The current study examined the impact of social distancing regulations on adolescents’ wellbeing through perceived loneliness by using data from a 5-week longitudinal survey-based study conducted on parents and …

Examining Media Dependency And Parasocial Relationship On Protective Action Behaviors During Covid-19, Amy Hyman

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the significant role that mass media plays in disseminating messages to the public during disasters and public health crises. Information disseminated during a disaster influences individuals’ decision-making process regarding protective actions, or mitigation behaviors. This study examined the relationship between media dependency theory, parasocial relationship, and media effects (cognitive, affective and behavioral) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A quantitative approach was used with a convenience sample. The sample focused on residents in the state of Arkansas and specific generational cohorts. The results found that the generational cohorts had different media preferences during the height of …

Organizational Leadership In Funeral Homes During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lafonda L. Ehlers

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this non-experimental, quantitative study was to describe the impact that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic had on essential elements of organizational leadership in the funeral home industry. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey approach was utilized as this study was intended to be a stand-alone study to provide a snapshot of current organizational elements of funeral homes impacted after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. All the employees of a six-location, family-owned funeral home in the Midwest, with the exception of two employees the researcher had direct supervision over, were emailed a survey titled A Non-Experimental, Quantitative Study …

The Influence Of Social Capital On Risk Attitude Toward Covid-19 Amongst Traditional Undergraduates, Jordan Titera

Dissertations

This dissertation assesses the influence of the three types of social capital (bonding, bridging, and linking) on the risk attitude of traditional undergraduate students (under 25 years old who enroll directly from high school, attend full-time, and do not have major life and work responsibilities). The research is motivated by three research questions: (1) What is the risk attitude of traditional undergraduate students surveyed about COVID-19 (addicted, seeking, tolerant, averse, paranoid); (2) What are the social capital characteristics for traditional undergraduate respondents surveyed; and (3) What influence does social capital have on the risk attitude of traditional undergraduate students regarding …

Indigenous Language Revitalization Efforts In Canada During Covid-19: Facilitating And Maintaining Connections Using Digital Technologies, Laura Gallant

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis explores how people involved in Indigenous language revitalization efforts in Canada have responded and adapted to the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic from March to November 2020. Through virtual interviews, an online survey, an analysis of tweets about Indigenous language revitalization in Canada, and observations of webinars among people involved in language work, this research focuses on how people have adjusted and accelerated their Indigenous language activities during a prolonged period of social isolation. Genocidal policies and practices continue to reproduce inequities for Indigenous peoples and are affecting those involved in Indigenous language work during COVID. This thesis …

Developing A Movement-Based Group For High Schoolers With Anxiety During Covid-19, Samantha Harding

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with negative mental health outcomes, including increased rates of anxiety among adolescents. Adolescents with social-emotional disabilities experience additional challenges adapting to disruptions in routine and coping with feelings of anxiety caused by the pandemic. While effective treatments for reducing symptoms of anxiety exist, a large proportion of adolescents with clinical or sub-clinical levels of anxiety lack access to such treatment or do not seek out treatment on their own. Schools are seen as an ideal setting to implement programs that teach adolescents effective coping skills, however, the pandemic has drastically altered school settings and …

Beyond Bingo: Enhancing Quality Of Life In The Face Of Death For Hospice Patients With Dementia Through Integrated Expressive Arts Therapies, Development Of A Method, Jeanie Cooper Carson

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This paper explores ways integrated expressive arts therapies (EAT) used with individuals with dementia in hospice can help facilitate living well in the face of dying. While research is limited regarding use of EAT with this population specifically, much significant research has been conducted to support the effectiveness of the employment of various creative arts modalities with individuals with dementia and also on hospice. Building on this research, the author developed and implemented an integrated EAT method with members of this population living in long-term care facilities in Greater Boston in the context of the pandemic of 2020-21. This paper …

Storytelling As An Expressive Arts Therapy Intervention With Children Via Telehealth, Sidney Marie Joines

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

As an expressive arts therapist in training working in the midst of a global pandemic, I sought to develop a creative, safe, accessible, and effective intervention for children via telehealth during a time of great uncertainty. Coronavirus 2019 has had a massive impact on mental and physical health and disrupted the lives of billions across the globe; the pandemic also forced mental health professionals to online formats. I found a significant lack of literature around expressive arts therapy via telehealth. Through considering theoretical approaches from cinematherapy, narrative therapy, metaphor therapy, play therapy, and expressive arts therapy, I developed an eight-week …

"It's The Way You Sing It": Translating Music Therapy For Isolated Older Adults Affected By Covid-19 To The Television Screen, Eunice Wong

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The current Covid-19 pandemic has increased the likelihood of loneliness and social isolation among older adults due to the restrictions on movement and visitations in care facilities. Loneliness and social isolation have consistently been identified as risk factors for poor mental and physical health in older people. Meanwhile, a growing number of older adults are utilizing technological resources to enhance their interpersonal relationships and overall quality of life. In the winter of 2020/2021, an innovative music therapy-informed television program was designed and produced for isolated older adults in need of mental and emotional support. This project, produced jointly by a …

The Health Costs Of Political Identity: Evidence From Public Safety Responses In The Us And A Natural Experiment In California, Sahiba Chopra

Master's Theses

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought political polarization in the US to the forefront of the battle against coronavirus. We find that for every one percentage point increase in votes for Trump there are 881 more Covid-19 cases and 17 more Covid-19 deaths. We find that these results are motivated by political identity as it is mediated through public safety behaviors like maskwearing and social distancing. In addition, a natural experiment in California during the first half of the pandemic in the US finds that 36% of the Covid-19 cases at the census tract level in California can be associated with …

The Political Pandemic: Investigating The Relationship Between Political Ideology And Covid-19 Compliance, Allison Moore

Undergraduate Theses

One key to curtailing the health costs of COVID-19 is adherence to social distancing measures. Despite their importance, distancing measures seem to have proved divisive. The present research sought to identify ideological differences in behavioral compliance to distancing measures and to account for the psychological underpinnings of behavioral differences. A first study (April, 2020; N=571) using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk revealed conservatives to be significantly less likely to obey social distancing recommendations than liberals. Differences among conservatives and liberals in adherence to self-reported social distancing practices were significantly mediated by perceived COVID-19 health risk and perceived media accuracy in covering the …

The Effects Of At-Home Remote Work Environments On Human Cognitive Performance And Work Task Performance Based On Current Societal Conditions, Angela Arias

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Home-based remote work systems present a unique set of cognitive performance and work task performance challenges to employees without remote work experience. The COVID-19 pandemic forced companies into transforming their work system structures, and their employee roles, without the preparation or education of the dynamics that surround home-based remote work systems. This thesis benefits the Human Factors community by investigating the effects of at-home remote-based work environments on cognitive performance, and work task performance, of employees who currently work remotely from home. A multimethod approach was employed to carry out this research. A survey was administered to home-based remote employees, …

Analyzing The Consumer’S Decision-Making Process To Visit Walt Disney World During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Corinne Kincade Williams

Honors Theses

During the Covid-19 pandemic, people have had differing opinions about traveling and visiting popular destinations. This study analyzes why people decide to visit or not visit Disney World during the pandemic. To understand motivational factors affecting customers’ visit intention, a Qualtrics survey was administered through GroupMe, Disney Facebook fan pages, and MTurk. Questions applied the theory of planned behavior and additional constructs of perceived severity and perceived vulnerability to understand the reasons behind participants’ decision-making process to visit or not visit Disney World.

From the 553 responses analyzed, it was found that the most influential factors on Disney World visit …

A Content Analysis Of The Coverage Of Covid-19 In The First Seven Days, Chrystal Celestine Kerubo Onkeo Ms

Theses & Dissertations

This study explored how the Kenyan print media covered Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the first seven days after the first infection was confirmed in Kenya. The was guided by the following research objectives: - (i) To find out the prominence the Kenyan media gave COVID-19 stories in the first seven days following the announcement of patient zero, (ii)To identify the frames that were predominantly used by the media in the coverage of COVID-19 following the announcement of patient zero, and (iii)To examine the extent to which COVID-19 stories published in the first seven days following the announcement of patient …

Place Of Solutions Journalism In Coverage Of A Crisis: Examining Reporting Of Covid-19 Pandemic In Kenyan Newspapers, Rebecca Mutheu Mutiso Ms

Theses & Dissertations

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya in March 2020 created an unprecedented challenge to media houses. Media coverage of the disease raised questions on the best approach that can be used for reporting the Covid-19 crisis and whether journalists should only report the reality of the social and economic impact of the pandemic or they have a duty to also tell stories on the responses to the crisis, an approach referred to as solutions journalism. The study’s objectives were: - (i) examine the major themes in the coverage of Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya’s media, (ii) to explore the …

Leading During Covid-19: Women In The Agricultural Industry, Kathryn Gardner

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

There is no doubt COVID-19 has forever shaped the way our organizations operate, and leaders emerge in times of crisis. However, women uniquely face challenges and obstacles in the workplace during non-pandemic circumstances that were amplified in the past year as the lines between work and life were blurred. Literature and historical evidence show that women face significant barriers and bias compared to their male counterparts when pursuing leadership roles. This study sought to identify how women in agriculture, a male dominated industry, have encountered circumstances of obstacles or bias in their careers as leaders, as well as how they …

Social Environment Changes During Covid-19 Quarantine, Aileen Jimenez

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research project is to understand perceptions of the psychological, behavioral, and social impacts of COVID-19. Students at the University of Mississippi were invited to participate in an online questionnaire administered through Qualtrics. The questionnaire was composed of questions concerning health behaviors, including questions from the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21, Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Scale, Fear of Coronavirus-19 Scale, and the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring study. 274 students participated in the study. Overall, the results of this study suggested moderate distress across the sample, differences in sleep, exercise, and alcohol consumption during quarantine conditions, …

The “New Normal”: A Virtual Insight From Industry Professionals On Pivoting Within The Digital Ecosystem During A Global Pandemic., Delina Corcione

Theses

This project is over industry professionals within a relative field of Digital Content Strategy, and their professional experiences as it relates to the global pandemic that hit the United States in 2020. This virus (COVID-19) has boosted us into a predominantly digital world, with little analysis on how society is to handle or adapt. The final deliverable is short documentary offering insight on industry professionals within the field of study. The “New Normal” takes a unique approach on analyzing the state of the field as it relates to the pandemic, focusing on the personal experiences these industry professionals went through …

The Relationship Between Resilience And Social Support Among College Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amy Baskin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to the unprecedented and unexpected nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is little data to date that have investigated the impact on college students. The current study evaluated the relationships between resilience, social support, and distress levels among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. One-hundred and ninety-one college students in a psychology course completed three measures assessing resilience, social support, and distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first hypothesis was that as social support increases, then resilience will also increase in a college population during a worldwide pandemic. A second hypothesis was that as resilience increases, then distress will …