Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Loss Of Face-To-Face Interaction In Telehealth, Steven Lu

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Telehealth usage has increased dramatically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The loss of face-to-face interaction may have an impact on rapport building, noticing verbal and nonverbal cues, and attitudes towards telehealth which may negatively affect the quality of mental health services. The study aimed to determine if the loss of face-to-face interaction has any effect on the quality of mental health services through telehealth. The study employed an exploratory qualitative research method design using interviews. Audio recordings were transcribed to written form to analyze themes that were present. The study found that the loss of face-to-face interaction can influence rapport …

Girl Power?: 2017’S Wonder Woman As A Feminist Text And Icon In An Era Of Post-Feminist Media, Rachel Richardson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Media, including film, have the incredible potential to influence viewers and disrupt or contribute to dominant ideologies. In an era of post-feminist media where women are seemingly empowered under the guise of ‘girl power,’ there continues to be very limited social, financial, and professional options for women and girls. The same can be said for film when female characters appear to be in control of their own lives and bodies, though they are pressured into making the ‘correct’ choices. The 2017 film rendition of Wonder Womandirected by Patty Jenkins intended to change that. This textual analysis of the film …

Identifying Perceptions And Factors Of Pursuing Higher Education In Former Foster Youth, Karina Alicia Galindo, Julissa Arielle Gonzalez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explores former foster youth’s perceptions and factors in pursuing higher education. Twelve participants provided insight on their experiences when in the foster care system that had impacted their pursuance of higher education. Many participants elaborated on their lives after aging out of the system, and how they navigated life as former foster youth. This was done through a self-paced audio recorded interview along with questions regarding demographics and information pertaining to the amount of time each individual spent in the foster care system.

This study’s findings were able to identify overarching themes on former foster youth, such as …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Life Outcomes Among Social Workers, Kazandra Dominique Farrell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) constitute a public health threat by increasing the risk of chronic health conditions in adulthood. This study asked two relevant questions: 1) How do social workers with a history of adverse childhood experiences deal with ACEs-related trauma? 2) What are factors influencing social workers' response to adverse childhood experiences-related trauma? Embracing a mixed-methods research approach, this study recruited a sample of 35 social work professionals (N = 36). Spearman Rho Correlation and Mann-Whitney U Test results show no statistically significant relationships between age, gender, ethnicity, education, social work experience and impact of social work on personal …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Social Workers’ Ability To Provide Services, Victoria Fuller

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

As the COVID-19 pandemic has widely impacted society, it significantly limited social workers in performing their work. This qualitative study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted social workers’ ability to provide services to their clients, to learn how they overcame obstacles, and what advice they would offer for future crises. The study provides future social workers and policymakers with the benefit of firsthand knowledge of barriers and adaptations discovered, in efforts to support vulnerable client populations. The data was collected through interviews of social workers who worked at human service agencies near the northern region of Los Angeles County, …

From Fast Fashion To Sustainable Slow Fashion, Isabel Agatha Millward-Pena

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis is to express a need for sustainability within the fast fashion industry, in the form of cultural movement that acts as alternative to the current means of production, consumption, and philosophies. Sustainability within current popular discourses is often human-centered and lacking authenticity, thus I aim to highlight an alternative that is opposite of that. In doing such, I bring to light the negative effects of the industry through a case study on the fast fashion company SHEIN, who claim to be making sustainable efforts. I analyzed SHEIN’s 2021 Sustainability and Social Impact Report (SSIR), focusing …

Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces): Role Of Emotional Intelligence On Psychological Distress, Ariana Romero, Sean Panganiban

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Currently, over 60% of adults in the U.S have suffered from at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE). The impact of ACEs on mental health and well-being has been immensely researched over the past couple decades. The current study aims to see how emotional intelligence impacts psychological distress among individuals who have experienced ACEs. Researchers conducted a quantitative study in which 3 surveys were administered to a group of 93 voluntary participants via Qualtrics on social media platforms. Participants completed the following surveys: BEIS-10 (Emotional intelligence measure), K-6 (psychological distress measure) and the ACEs questionnaire. Results found that there was …

Coping With The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In Southern California: A Qualitative Study Of Families In Poverty, Jaqueline Nunez Cruz

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

There is a gap in the social welfare literature concerning the perspectives of low-income families about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their lives. This qualitative study contributes to the literature by exploring how families in poverty across Southern California survived the pandemic. Interviews were conducted with 10 heads of household (N = 10) to determine the impact of the pandemic and the strategies used to cope with the crisis. Thematic analysis of the data revealed five key themes: a) the devastating impact of the pandemic on low-income families, b) the use of various coping mechanisms by families, b) …

The Privatization Of The Prison System In The United States: A Comparative Study Of Rehabilitative Resources, Wendi Witherell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Facing high rates of mass incarceration and prison overcrowding, the United States of America seems to believe that the privatization of its prison system could be a viable solution to the aforementioned problems. Despite the increased incarceration rates of the past few decades, the gradual privatization of the prison system is an understudied area. It is therefore important to understand the rationale behind the movement away from the public sector toward the private sector. This cross-sectional study adopted three theoretical approaches—Models of Incarceration Theory, Political Explanation Theory, and Overcrowding Theory—in an attempt to determine such rationale. It was hypothesized there …

Coping Skills Amongst Social Workers, Sandra Quezada

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research study used a questionnaire to identify coping behaviors and feelings of social workers dealing with work related stress. The purpose of this research was to identify the most used coping behaviors of social workers. Data was collected from thirty-six participants who had access to southern California social worker blogs. Findings were that over half (63.9) of participants used emotion focused behaviors such as “growing as a person” and “discuss feelings with someone” as a coping behavior. The findings contribute to coping research, but this research also identifies social workers as not using enough coping behaviors. Recommendations for social …

Homelessness In Southern California: A Look Toward Prevention, Briana Sanchez, Esmeralda Arellano

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Despite living in the richest country in the world, many individuals and families across the United States face the harsh reality of homelessness. A social phenomenon, homelessness has affected hundreds of thousands of people every year. The impact of homelessness has been detrimental across the whole country, including Southern California. This exploratory study raised two questions: (1) What are contributing factors to homelessness in Southern California? (2) How can homelessness in South California be prevented? Taking a qualitative approach, this study interviewed 15 participants, 10 social workers and 5 people living in/or having experienced homelessness (N = 15). Thematic analysis …

The Relationship Between Covid-19 Stress, Psychological Inflexibility, And Psycholoical Well-Being, Alyx Duckering

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the literature on the mental and physical health consequences of COVID-19 has expanded exponentially. Much of the published research has focused on the physical health and economic consequences of COVID-19. Research on the mental health effects of COVID-19 has primarily addressed the increase in anxiety and depression and related avoidance/safety behaviors surrounding COVID-19 (Taylor et al., 2020). Although there is an emerging literature on the COVID-19 mental health consequences, there is a paucity of research examining the processes of how people respond to COVID-19 stress and psychological well-being. Specifically, data examining potential psychological …

Social Workers’ Experiences During Covid-19, Maija Slisco

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify personal and professional challenges that social workers faced while working in-person with clients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This research utilized an exploratory qualitative design. In-depth interviews were conducted with eight participants. Participants were MSW postgraduates recruited through convenience sampling methods. Data was collected via in-depth interviews to identify universal challenges social workers experienced. Through thematic analysis of open coding, the following five semantic themes emerged: safety concerns/risks, ethical professional dilemmas, decreased ability to engage in self-care/increased acquisition of unhealthy habits, loss of connection, and emotional distress Through axial coding, it was found …

How Prepared Are Social Workers To Help Their Clients Diagnosed With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?, Isabel Marin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to understand the competence social workers have with diagnosing and treating OCD. The study is significant since there are many sufferers of OCD who are misdiagnosed. Researchers have found that over 50% of individuals with OCD have been misdiagnosed (Glazier et al., 2015). This study will be significant for all mental health workers including MSW graduates and Master in Social Work students. By understanding what social workers know or do not know about the mental illness OCD we are then able to understand what improvements need to be made in the field of …

Promoting Health Equity Among Racial And Ethnic Minorities During And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alexandra Viramontes, Deserry Salgado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Racial and ethnic minorities experience disproportionate health outcomes during a pandemic, yet preparedness plans have failed to address the social determinants of health that produce the most severe impact. By examining social workers’ perspectives on the health disparities faced by racial and ethnic minorities during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study provides insight into the ways in which services can be improved in a future health crisis. In this exploratory study, a qualitative approach was utilized where social workers were asked to participate in interviews consisting of open-ended questions. The qualitative data was obtained in the form of interview transcripts, which …

Impact Of Job-Related Stressors On Levels Of Compassion Fatigue, Curnishia Woodbury

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Compassion fatigue is an area of concern for direct practice social workers who engage with trauma material. This phenomenon has been deemed the cost of caring. The purpose of this study was to identify a relationship between job-related stressors such as caseload size, weekly supervision and job satisfaction and compassion fatigue. A total of 10 child protection social workers from various Southern California counties constituted the study sample. The Pearson Coefficient Correlation test was used to analyze the relationship between the identified variables. The findings revealed that there was a moderate correlation between caseload size and compassion fatigue as well …

Social Work Students Competency Addressing Sexual Health Needs Of Clients, Laken Beltran

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The contents of this study explored how competent social work students feel addressing sexual health issues with clients. Social workers could experience a multitude of problems when feeling incompetent and under-educated when helping clients with sexual problems. Various theories in the realm of social work and psychology alike see the person as a whole, with multiple facets contributing to whom the individual is. Sexual health, experiences, attitudes and sexuality are an integral part of what makes an individual who they are. A qualitative approach was utilized for this study which consisted of a 10-question interview for MSW students. This study …

The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences In Social Work Students, Geraldine Mclean, Delacey Kim

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of the following study is to explore and examine the connection between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and well-being of social work students at an undisclosed Southern California university. A quantitative study was conducted which included the responses from 89 students at the undisclosed university. Participants were administered two questionnaires via a Qualtrics online survey. One questionnaire measured the number of ACEs a participant had experienced in childhood. The second questionnaire measured the participant’s current level of well-being. The study’s results revealed that overall, social work students experience greater ACE scores as compared to the general population. However, despite …

To What Extent Do Gender Role Stereotypes Impact Mental Health Professionals’ Perceptions Of Men, Raeshema Holland

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Many people suffer from mental health disorders. Gender disparities in mental health treatment and research need to be continuously addressed to ensure that all individuals seeking emotional support receive adequate and competent care. This research focused on bringing awareness to men's neglected mental health needs. Results are discussed in the context of theories of social roles and ambivalence towards men. This study used social role theory and ambivalent sexism theory to explain best how western traditional gender norms can impact us all. Ambivalent sexism pertains to how our attitudes and beliefs can be shaped and are extremely complex. Ambivalent biases …

The Sanctuary Campus: Establishing Safe Spaces Of Higher Education For Undocumented And Daca-Status Students, Lizbet Martinez-Port

CSB and SJU Distinguished Thesis

The election of President Donald Trump in 2016 brought fear to undocumented and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) status students on campuses across the United States. In his campaign, Trump detailed his desire to get rid of the Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Various institutions of higher education created resources, put in place sanctuary policies, and even declared themselves as sanctuary campuses to fight against the challenges that hindered undocumented and DACA students from achieving a higher education. This paper focuses on the policies at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, two private Catholic …

Pandemics And Animal Welfare: A Quantitative Inquiry Into How The Covid-19 Pandemic Has Affected The Companion Animal Industry In Northwest Arkansas, Kayla N. Desmet

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019, industries have been impacted globally. The companion animal care industry has not received much recognition in mainstream news, and though multiple grants have been allocated (Nolen, 2020), limited resources were available to individual facilities such as animal shelters, animal day cares, and boarding facilities. Little is known about the long-term effects of the pandemic on these facilities and how companion animal care may have changed. The purpose of this study was to explore the day-to-day impacts and long-term effects of COVID-19 on the companion animal industry in Northwest Arkansas from …

Accounting Internship Thesis - Koch Industries, Casey Rivero

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis outlines my accounting internship experience with Koch Industries during the summer of 2021. It describes the company's background, explains my role and responsibilities throughout the summer, and details the tools and technology I worked with. This thesis shows what is to be expected of the present day accountant and bridges the gap between university course material and real-life corporate application.

Conway Properties Llc, Cody Conway

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis shows the business model for Conway Properties, LLC.

Helping Our Heroes: An Evaluation Of Mental Health And Organizational Policies Surrounding Suicide Prevention And Postvention Strategies For Nebraska First Responders, Maria S. Mickles

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Suicide is ranked as one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Over 40,000 individuals die by suicide each year (Stanley, Hom, & Joiner, 2016; Vigil et al, 2021), and, in 2020, it was ranked in the top 9 causes of death for all ages (10-64), and second for those 10-14 and 25-34 years of age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). These statistics disproportionately reflect first responders (i.e., firefighters, dispatchers, law enforcement, EMS, paramedics, etc.), as they die by suicide more than the general public (National EMS Management Association, 2016). Within their line of work …

Popular Protests And Democratization In Post-Soviet Countries: An Analysis Of Why Some Democracy Movements Failed And Others Succeeded, David Mcdonald

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to analyze pro-democracy movements in post-Soviet countries through the lens of existing theories of democratization to determine why a particular protest movement succeeded or failed. Through a qualitative analysis of theories of democratization and four case studies – Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Belarus – this thesis finds that the theories of democratization are ultimately applicable and helpful in understanding these case studies, albeit in different ways. Whereas the theories and their predictions might be proven correct in the cases of Georgia and Kyrgyzstan, the opposite is true in Russia and Belarus, where authoritarian regimes have taken steps …

Office Of Community Engagement Newsletter, May 2022, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of Community Engagement.

Community Engagement Newsletter

Contents:

--- UNI Engaged: Stories of Impact
--- Award Recognition
--- Service-Learning Institute
--- Civic Action Plan 2.0 - Input Requested
--- Upcoming Events
--- In Other News

Altering Overdraft Fee Policies To Promote Consumer Financial Health, Nadia Barbarawi

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of this study is to describe the traditional overdraft practices, explain the reaction of the banking industry from the pressure coming from consumers, regulators, and innovative companies to reduce or eliminate overdraft fees to promote consumer financial health.

Effect Of Larval Rearing Environment On Female Bicyclus Anynana Mate Choice, Adriana Beruvides

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Around eighty percent of animals go through metamorphosis or drastic phase changes at some point in their life. We know that juvenile interactions can influence adult behavior and mate choice in species that don’t go through metamorphosis, but we know very little about how social interactions during early life stages of animals who go through metamorphosis affect mate choice. To fill this knowledge gap, I used the butterfly Bicyclus anynana to assess whether female butterflies raised in complete isolation from the beginning of their lives exhibit the same mate preference as butterflies raised in normal social conditions. To test this, …

Policy Complementarities Between And Within Jurisdictions: The Case Of Alcohol Consumption And Driving, Tabitha Knott

All Dissertations

Federalism allows multiple levels of government, such as counties, states, and nations, to control the same territory. The result is often differentiated policies across smaller jurisdictions, which inevitably create spillovers when goods can be purchased in one locality and not in another. The first chapter discusses how each of the subsequent chapters are related using this context.

The second chapter investigates how one jurisdiction's policy may diffuse across neighboring jurisdictions to mitigate spillover effects using evidence from Texas. Texas is one of 34 states that allow local jurisdictions to determine alcohol policies and regulations via local option referenda. A force …

Essays On Nonparametric Benchmarking Of Energy Firms And Natural Gas Market Integration, Matthew Cronin

All Dissertations

My dissertation focuses on issues related to the technical efficiency of energy firms as well as the integration of U.S. natural gas markets during the era of shale gas expansion of the early 2000s. In the first chapter, I use nonparametric methods to estimate changes in efficiency and productivity of natural gas pipelines in the U.S. during the period of shale gas expansion during 2007--2018. This period, known as the Shale Revolution, saw an increase in shale gas production from less that 5 billion cubic feet per day (BCF/d) in 2007 to over 60 BCF/d in 2018. This increase in …