Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Prosecutors’ And Police Chiefs’ Perception Of Crime In South Dakota, Maggie Erickson

Honors Thesis

PURPOSE:

This exploratory study regarding prosecutors' and police chiefs' perceptions of crime in South Dakota covers many aspects of crime, including available resources to address crime, perceptions of the criminal justice system, fear of crime, concern for specific crime categories, and crime-reducing measures. Studies specifically focusing on Criminal Justice actors’ perception of crime prove low in number at the national and state levels.

FINDINGS:

Findings indicate that prosecutors lack enough time, financial resources, and staff to effectively address crime, while police chiefs primarily view inadequate staffing as their biggest resource concern. While personal fear of crime or victimization for both …

Circumcision—Deal With It! A Clinical Ethnography Of Intactivism At American Intersections, Benjamin M. Gaddes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On a routine trip to the grocery store, or while scrolling online, you might encounter the provocative and puzzling discourse of Intactivism, a viral, single-issue social movement that opposes infant male circumcision, and wonder “Huh? Why is this here, now?” This project situates Intactivism in a history of circumcision and anti-circumcision that spans from ancient Sumerian tents to the front pages of Reddit. It takes an immersive qualitative clinical ethnographic approach, nested in a broader cultural psychology that is non-reductive and pluralistic, to articulate an Intactivist ethos in its public and private dimensions. Methods include participant-observation, interviews, and framework discourse …

On The Cultivation Of Relational Leadership Mindsets Among Graduate Supervisees In The Mental Health Professions: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis, Cristina Bucur

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In counseling supervision, leadership is often associated with supervisors’ skills, role, position, and responsibilities. However, supervisees need to learn and practice how to lead also: for example, how to promote others’ well-being, how to support, and advocate for others and self. Graduate supervisee relational leadership in the mental health professions is an intrinsic part of the purposive aspect of counseling supervision. Relational leadership in graduate counseling supervision is a purposive, interpersonal, facilitative, growth oriented, and process-based service in which leaders -expert facilitators and mentors- seek to cultivate leaders, not followers. Relational leadership is mutuality-affirming and mutuality-promoting (e.g., open dialogue, mutual …

Assessing How The Humane Health Coalition Connects Veterinary Services With Healthcare For People Experiencing Poverty And Housing Insecurity, Katie Willis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

People experiencing housing insecurity and financial hardship often prioritize their pets’ needs ahead of their own. In addition to financial concerns, some struggle to obtain medical treatment because they lack transportation or have had negative experiences with medical professionals. The Humane Health Coalition (HHC), a collaboration between Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh (HARP) and Allegheny Health Network (AHN), seeks to address these challenges. The HHC is based on the One Health Model and brings together medical and veterinary staff to provide care and resources for both pets and their owners. My research examines the implementation of this new program. I …

Homophobia: How Straight People Define It, Shirk Responsibility For It, And Abstain From Confronting It In Mississippi, Madeline Burdine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Drawing upon 12 in-depth qualitative interviews, this research examines how straight-presenting people in Mississippi define what it means to be supportive of queer people in their own words. It also shows how they distinguish what is (and is not) homophobic and what their understanding of homophobia does (or does not do) for them or the queer people in their lives. Whether they were raised within a homophobic home or a more open-minded home, interviewees use their upbringings to frame their current support for queer people. Interviewees also work to establish themselves as open-minded towards queer people by distancing themselves from …

Analysis Of Self: The Unfortunate Exploration And Development Of Myself, Owen L. Myhr

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

Through this analysis of myself, greater insight and understanding created a chance for me to understand why my aspirations are focused where they are. Taking the time to reminisce on my upbringing, relationships, and the other aspects of life allowed true reflection. This allowed me to see where specific thoughts and feelings come from. The analysis of self included taking and analyzing assessments, conducting interviews with significant people in my life, integrating theory, and reflecting on next steps for continued development. This project was an opportunity to express myself and reflect on how I would like to continue my …

Companionship, Romance, And Self-Perception With Conversational Chatbots, Jonathan Windsor

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Serving as a metaphorical gateway transcending the communicative barriers of physical relationships in interpersonal dialogues, artificial imators of human behavior and speech, also known as conversational chatbots; a simulation of human knowledge and existence in a bi-directional conversation, functions as a rhetor of expression. Spanning from contexts of professional to romantic, I serve to dissect and critically analyze the nuances of human-machine relationships based on pre-established literature, inviting ethical considerations and biases in their design and marketing. Corporate influences spark pre-established servitude-esque relationships with conversational agents. Professional applications, both task-oriented and emotionally based alike, paint a mixed picture of …

Health, Politics, And Policy: Exploring The Interplay Of Health Status On Voting Behavior And Policy Knowledge Across Political Parties In The United States, Zoey Peters

Honors Theses

ABSTRACT

ZOEY LYNN PETERS: Health, Politics, and Policy: Exploring the Interplay of Health Status on Voting Behavior and Policy Knowledge Across Political Parties in the United States

(Under the direction of Dr. Hannah Allen)

Background. Citizens actively engaging with their politics and government is crucial for the survival of our democracy. Voting and policy knowledge are two significant indicators of citizen engagement and there are many factors that can affect whether people will vote or stay informed on relevant policy. The healthcare system in the United States is a constant topic of controversy in American politics and it impacts every …

Patagonian Precarity: Extractive Tourism And Subaltern Activism In El Chaltén, Argentina, Kaitlyn C. Sisco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the relationship between extractive tourism and social activism in Southern Andean Patagonia. Its central goal is to unpack the systems that structurally marginalize subaltern populations and inspire their resistance. Through ethnographic attention to El Chaltén, Argentina, I investigate how extractive tourism generates various forms of social activism that manifest in social dimensions such as class and gender. In El Chaltén’s ecotourism terrain, feminine and dissident experiences have been historically devalued. I argue that El Chaltén is a crucible for subaltern, structurally marginalized activism. The extractive tourism industry—tied to housing/land inequality and gender violence—generates and catalyzes various forms …

Health Infographics: An Examination Of Breastfeeding Infographics From The World Health Organization, Naadiyahtu Iddrisu

Communication ETDs

This thesis employed a qualitative thematic analysis and the representational, interpersonal, and compositional functions of visual analysis approaches to examine the World Health Organization breastfeeding infographics published between 2019–2023 through the lens of two health promotion models: the Enabling Environment for Breastfeeding Model, and the Social and Ecological Model. A total of 59 infographics were analyzed. The findings revealed that breastfeeding infographics have called for creating an enabling environment that supports breastfeeding by emphasizing breastfeeding as a shared or collective responsibility. Again, mothers were the main target audience of breastfeeding infographics. Also, the use of multiple racial colors - White, …

Analysis Of Self: My Roller Coaster Of A Journey, Emily Meyer

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

Throughout this Analysis of Self, I cover pertinent information relating to my experiences and the journey that led me to where I am today. I share personal stories as it relates to shaping me into who I am as an individual. While sharing, I heavily reflect on some of the decisions I have made throughout my life, as well as the lessons I have learned. I cover numerous aspects that have contributed to my core values, beliefs, and viewpoints; but ultimately, how my experiences have led to me becoming a counselor. I then examine the results of the personality …

Dungeons And Dragons As A Therapeutic Intervention Training, Samuel Grove

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) is a role-playing game that gives players’ versatility by allowing them to dictate, customize, or create their own experience. There are many different iterations of role-playing games with varying presentations for in-person and online play; table-top role-playing games and video games (Connell, 2024) (Kowal et al, 2021). Through the 3 pillars of play (Exploration, Role-play, and Combat) player are able to customize their own experience to their preference or collective preference of the group. The balance between the 3 frames of play (Player, Game, and Character) optimizes the players role-playing experience (Connell, 2023). D&D is the …

Anxiety Group For Teens Group Manual, Jacob Kinnen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

Early intervention has been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and improving overall function and life satisfaction. Anxiety disorders are one of the most common disorders among youth (Watson et al., 2014). Through early intervention, adolescents can grow with more confidence and feel less anxious by improving their social skills and overall life satisfaction. This manual examines the impact of anxiety in adolescents and the various practices that have been shown to be effective in treating anxiety disorders. This group manual provides interventions based on evidenced based practices have been found to be effective in treating …

The Well-Being Of College Students Who Participate In A Regular Yoga Nidra Practice, Angie Clark

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

College students experience significant stress, which affects their health and executive functioning. The purpose of this study was to explore if students could improve their well-being through a yoga nidra intervention. Yoga nidra is a deep relaxation practice with conscious awareness. Twelve students from a Midwestern college campus participated in a yoga nidra non-credit class. Students were expected to participate in two yoga nidra sessions per week for 50-minutes per session over the course of 12-weeks for a total of 24-yoga nidra sessions. The study was conducted through an action research qualitative study. Participants completed pre- and post-reflections on their …

Best Practices For Working With Children Who Have Experienced Sexual Abuse: A Training Resource Manual For Mental Health Counselors, Olivia Johnson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This paper reviews literature related to issues and practices associated with childhood sexual abuse including best practices for working with victims of sexual abuse. Children who are victims of sexual abuse often suffer from trauma related symptoms and the use of certain approaches can provide better treatment outcomes. Following the review, a training will be presented that provides counselors with information on best practices when working with children who have experienced sexual abuse.

Keywords: Childhood Sexual Abuse, Trauma, PTSD.

Mental Health Literacy Training For Coaches, Daniel Anthony Simpson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

There has been an increase in awareness towards the mental health of athletes. With prominent figures in the world of athletics putting themselves first over their sport. The sports world is shaken every time there is a report of death by suicide, such as the passing of Tyler Hilinski, quarterback for Washington State. A study done over the course of 20 years, published in April of 2024 stated that suicide is now the second leading cause of death among student-athletes (Whelan et al., 2024). Becoming independent and coping with the uncertainty that college brings are some of the developmental challenges …

The Experiences Of Individuals With Chronic Health Conditions Participating In Mental Health Treatment A Phenomenological Study, Marshall Tutt

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The population of individuals experiencing a chronic illness are a marginalized group. This vulnerable status necessitates informed practice by the counseling establishment. This study examines the experiences of the chronically ill population during their participation in mental health treatment to better understand their experiences and inform future practice and research. This study employed phenomenological methodology as described by Creswell (2007) and Moustakas (1994), to examine the lived experiences of four participants drawn from a Fargo area mutual aid group for individuals with ostomies. Seven themes were identified from the resulting data. Four themes related to the experience of chronic illness …

Becoming Me, Teddy., Theodore Murray

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This paper presents a comprehensive self-guided inquiry into the factors influencing personal development and professional aspirations, with a focus on the journey towards becoming a school counselor. Through reflective analysis, including examination of familial influences, cultural identity, and personality assessments such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the author reflects on the formative impact of significant individuals in their life. Furthermore, the study delves into the interplay of mental and physical health within the familial lineage and investigates coping mechanisms passed down through generations. In addition to self-assessment, data were gathered through an eleven-question questionnaire administered to past professors, current and …

Best Practices For Counselors Working With Children Who Have Been Victims Of Sex Trafficking, Samantha Maier

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Commercial sexual exploitation of youth is an umbrella term that includes sex trafficking, and other crimes, as well as receiving an exchange for something of value because of sexual abuse or exploitation of a minor (Perry et al., 2022). Children can develop chronic mental and physical health issues as a result of commercial sexual exploitation (Hickle & Roe-Sepowitz, 2014). Given that these experiences can be traumatic for the child, often leading to trauma-related mental illnesses, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) would be best suited for working with this population. This literature review and training module explore the risk factors, impacts, …

Implementing A Career Development Program For 7th Grade Students, Courtney Danielle Martinson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Career Development programs are crucial in schools to allow students to explore and prepare for their desired career. This is done primarily in the exploration stage of career development. This stage starts late elementary with exposure to careers then continues through middle and high school getting more in depth about what steps need to be taken to achieve their career goal. This is a key developmental stage where students begin to understand their own likes and interests which plays a part in finding a career that fits with their personality as well. While understanding oneself is important when researching jobs, …

Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Of The Shoulder: A Technical Primer, Sailesh Arulkumar, Elisa E. Neuchat, Eric Ly, Austin Ingwei Ly, Kiana Fahimipour, Mehul J. Desai

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Scapulalgia or shoulder pain accounts for 16% of all musculoskeletal complaints in the healthy adult population and becomes more common as we age. When this pain exceeds 3 months in duration, it is deemed to be chronic, and typically treated in an escalating manner. Spanning a continuum of conservative and non-conservative measures, chronic shoulder pain treatments range from rest and physical therapy to surgery. Since each patient presents with a unique spectrum of symptoms a customized treatment plan is often required. Over the lifetime of many of these patients, a variety of treatment options are required. One of these treatment …

Accessibility Or Environmental Conservation? Evaluating The Relationship Between Environmental Protection And Hiking Trail Accessibility Via Photogrammetry, Lidar & Remote Sensing, Zhanchao Yang

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Binghamton University Nature Preserve spans 190 acres of land, with a notable 20-acre wetland serving a multifaceted purpose. It is dedicated to preserving the ecological integrity of this landscape, fostering biodiversity, and facilitating research and environmental education. Improving the accessibility of nature preserves can maximize its advantages, particularly in fostering environmental consciousness and responsible management. However, it may also lead to a simultaneous rise in the potential for soil erosion, unethical utilization, and disruptions to the habitat. This research focuses on Binghamton University's nature preserve as a case study to explore the intricate balance between two vital objectives: ensuring equal …

Msw Portfolio, Mallory Phillips

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Perceived Self-Connection On Possession-Based Placebo Analgesia : An Investigation Using Implicit And Explicit Measures, Sze Ki Ng

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

Previous study found merely possessing a placebo analgesic cream (without using) has similar pain outcomes when it is compared with using a placebo analgesic cream, but the underlying mechanism is unclear (Yeung et al., 2019). Yeung et al. (2020) proposed that an object-to-self expectancy can be a possible mechanism underlying a possession-based placebo effect, which means people believe that the owned object will benefit them. The present study aimed to examine this hypothetical mechanism and investigate how forming a cognitive connection between the analgesic cream and the self affects the possession-based placebo effect. We demonstrated the effect existed and observed …

Gut Microbiota, Blood Metabolites, And Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction In Us Hispanics/Latinos, Kai Luo, Alkis Taryn, Eun-Hye Moon, Brandilyn A Peters, Scott D Solomon, Martha L Daviglus, Mayank M Kansal, Bharat Thyagarajan, Marc D Gellman, Jianwen Cai, Robert D Burk, Rob Knight, Robert C Kaplan, Susan Cheng, Carlos J Rodriguez, Qibin Qi, Bing Yu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is an important precursor of heart failure (HF), but little is known about its relationship with gut dysbiosis and microbial-related metabolites. By leveraging the multi-omics data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), a study with population at high burden of LVDD, we aimed to characterize gut microbiota associated with LVDD and identify metabolite signatures of gut dysbiosis and incident LVDD.

RESULTS: We included up to 1996 Hispanic/Latino adults (mean age: 59.4 years; 67.1% female) with comprehensive echocardiography assessments, gut microbiome, and blood metabolome data. LVDD was defined through a composite criterion …

Factors Influencing Donation Decisions To Environmental Nongovernmental Organizations, Fernando Alferd Crocheron

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While philanthropic studies have been conducted for centuries, little information exists regarding factors that impel donors to make financial donations to environmental nongovernmental organizations (ENGOs). The phenomena surrounding human motivation have been studied via numerous lenses providing information focused on various domains of interest e.g., poverty alleviation, provisioning of educational opportunity, disease eradication, disaster relief, etc. The theoretical framework for this study was Self-Determination Theory (SDT). This study focused specifically on U.S. citizens and the motivational factors that impel said citizens to make monetary contributions to ENGOs. Ten participants ages 18 and over who had donated to an ENGO in …

Corpus Enigmas And Contradictory Linguistics: Tensions Between Empirical Semantic Meaning And Judicial Interpretation, Peter Henderson, Daniel E. Ho, Andrea Vallebueno, Cassandra Handan-Nader

Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Economic Consequences Of Sewage Overflows On California Housing Values, Nathalie M. Nyanga

Master's Projects and Capstones

Sewage overflows (SSOs) represent a critical environmental challenge in California, and the impact of SSOs on housing prices is a vital issue. The study aims to determine how the frequency of sewage overflow events affects housing price fluctuations and conduct an event study. Employing linear, lasso, ridge, and random forest regression analyses, the study predicts the severity of overflow. Notably, lasso regression emerges as the most effective model for predicting housing prices in the event of an SSO occurrence. Additionally, the event study analysis provides insights into the factors influencing housing prices.

Skill Bias Perceptions Of Unskilled Workers' Self-Perception And Self-Efficacy, Cheryl M. Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A common phenomenon witnessed in the United States health care industry is a division between skilled and unskilled workforces. The division results from skill bias perceptions that strip the appreciation and value of certain job titles and responsibilities. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study focused on the human capability approach theory was to ascertain the differences in perception between the two types of workers and whether skill bias perceptions predict self-perception and self-efficacy. The goal was to recognize and support the innate human capabilities of unskilled workers as valuable human capital resources. From stratified sampling, 172 skilled and unskilled …

Teacher Initiated Collaboration In Community: A Case Study Considering Communities Of Practice At A Title I Middle School, Katherine Stewart

Dissertations

This qualitative case study investigates how faculty members in a Title I middle school engage in collaborative practices to enhance professional growth without formal professional learning. Framed within a descriptive lens (Merriam, 1998) and informed by Brown and Duguid's Community of Practice (CoP) framework (1991), the study addresses two research questions: (1) How do teachers collaborate to improve their practice outside formal professional learning? (2) In what ways do these methods reflect the elements of CoP: working, learning, and innovating? Through data analysis, the study reveals that teachers predominantly collaborate on student behavior and classroom management, with curriculum being a …