Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study Of The U.S. Army’S Performance Evaluation Process And Its Impact On Minority Groups: Bias, Diversity, And Military Readiness, Laterrious Starks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes the impact of the U.S. Army’s Officer Evaluation Report process on minority groups. Through a constructivist grounded theory framework, this research unravels the dynamics that influence performance evaluations and examines the Army’s ability to be a developmental organization. As the military sharpens its focus on identifying near-peer threats and updating the National Defense Strategy for large-scale combat operations, diversity and inclusivity policies are increasingly recognized as fundamental to military readiness. This study uncovers disparities that emerge from the organizational practices within the Officer Evaluation Report process. The finding highlights the implications for minority groups and the systemic …

Foster Youth Experiencing Homelessness In Texas: An Analysis Of Risk And Protective Factors That Impact Housing Stability, Monique Willoughby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While research on youth homelessness continues to grow, not much is known about the differences that exist between states. To address specific concerns effectively, a more nuanced and granular approach to assessment is needed. Specifically, Texas youth who are transitioning from foster and other systems of care into young adulthood and more independent living will need tailored support to adequately address their needs. This study is a step in that direction. Through identification of risks factors that predict homelessness for these youth, social workers, counselors, case managers, and other human services providers and advocates can better assess, plan, and intervene …

What Journalism Feels Like: Considering The Body Of The Journalist, Mark Deuze, Laura Glitsos

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

All journalists have bodies. This commonsensical fact acquires more currency every day as the work of reporters and editors becomes automated, robotized, and taken over by (generative) artificial intelligence. The embodied nature of news work matters, not in the least because of the personal attachment practitioners have to what journalism is, or should be. However, in the rich history of journalism studies, bodily perspectives are remarkably absent—beyond descriptions of journalists as sociodemographic profiles. In this essay, we explore various theoretical frameworks to bring the body back into the study and practice of journalism. In our argument, we apply the insights …

Understanding The Impact Of Urban Heat Islands On Crime: Insights From Temperature, Population Density, And Green Canopy Cover, Emil E. Jonescu, Chamil Erik Ramanayaka, Oluwole A. Olatunji, Talia J. Uylaki

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Emergent literature suggests that micro- and macro-climates influence criminal behaviour; a complex phenomenon that is still incipient in theory development. This mixed-method research starts with a systematic review of the literature on the theoretical premises that urban heat islands amplify aggressive behaviour and crime. Further, it discusses the potential implications of the relationship between the environment and social outcomes on the design and planning of urban environments. A meta-synthesis was conducted to explain the correlations between patterns of criminal behaviour and thermal (dis)comfort. This correlation is to relate fundamental urban design principles to socially sustainable communities that dissuade violence and …

Intrinsic Motivation In A Virtual Reality Mock Crime Affects Participants’ Willingness To Invest More Effort In Deceptive Interviews, Isabella S. Branson, Craig P. Speelman, Shane L. Rogers

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In studies of investigative interviewing, it is not well understood how participant experience of mock-crime activities might affect participants’ desire to perform (well) in subsequent interviews. In this study, we utilized two immersive virtual reality mock-crimes to examine if participants’ intrinsic motivation (i.e., competence, autonomy, relatedness) while committing the virtual mock-crime affects their desire to perform well in interviews. We also examined if the self-reported feeling of presence during the virtual reality mock-crime is associated with participants’ intrinsic motivation. We found significant positive associations between presence and all intrinsic motivation variables in both truth and lie conditions. We also found …

Investment By Maternal Grandmother Buffers Children Against The Impacts Of Adverse Early Life Experiences, Samuli Helle, Antti O. Tanskanen, David A. Coall, Gretchen Perry, Martin Daly, Mirkka Danielsbacka

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Exogenous shocks during sensitive periods of development can have long-lasting effects on adult phenotypes including behavior, survival and reproduction. Cooperative breeding, such as grandparental care in humans and some other mammal species, is believed to have evolved partly in order to cope with challenging environments. Nevertheless, studies addressing whether grandparental investment can buffer the development of grandchildren from multiple adversities early in life are few and have provided mixed results, perhaps owing to difficulties drawing causal inferences from non-experimental data. Using population-based data of English and Welsh adolescents (sample size ranging from 817 to 1197), we examined whether grandparental investment …

Barriers And Enablers To Promoting Grandchildren’S Physical Activity And Reducing Screen Time: A Qualitative Study With Australian Grandparents, Timothy Budden, David Coall, Ben Jackson, Hayley Christian, Andrea Nathan, Michelle I. Jongenelis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: With an increasing number of grandparents providing care to their grandchildren, calls have been made for these caregivers to be considered important stakeholders in encouraging children’s engagement in health-promoting behaviors, such as physical activity. Understanding the perspectives of grandparents who provide care is crucial to informing efforts that aim to increase children’s physical activity, yet little is understood about their perceptions of specific barriers and enablers to promoting children’s physical activity and reducing screen time. The present study sought to explore these perceptions. Methods: Semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with grandparents who reported providing care to …

Experimental Evidence That Activewear Retail Imagery Elicits Physiological, Attentional And Self-Reported Markers Of Body Image Threat In Women, Ross C. Hollett, Muna Bhusal, Syed Zulqarnain Gilani, Craig Harms, Scott Griffiths

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Online apparel retail imagery is a prominent threat to women's body image, particularly segments such as activewear which emphasize the value of women's bodies. In a within-subjects experiment, we exposed women (N = 128) to imagery randomly selected from activewear, casualwear and homewares websites and measured their gaze behavior, physiological arousal, as well as subjective emotional states and body image ratings. Exposure to activewear retail imagery elicited significantly lower body image ratings, a higher negative emotional state, and a lower positive emotional state compared to the other website imagery conditions. Physiological arousal was significantly higher for both apparel imagery conditions …

Paraverse: Co-Design Of A Parachute Rehearsal And Training Virtual-Reality Enhanced Simulator For The Australian Defence Force: Combining A Generative Co-Design Framework And An Agile Approach To Development, Brennen Mills, Martin Masek, Julie Boston, Wyatt De Souza, Jake Snell, Stuart Bender, Matthew Thompson, Billy Sung, Sara Hansen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

While co-design methods are crucial for developing digital educational interventions that are user-centred, contextually relevant, inclusive, and effective in meeting the diverse needs of learners and educators, little attention has been paid to the potential value of co-design processes for digital application development in the Defence context. This research gauged the efficacy of combining a generative co-design framework making use of agile and iterative co-design principles in an applied research and development project. The project produced an immersive virtual reality based digital solution in collaboration with the Australian Defence Force Special Operations Command (SOCOMD) Army. Specifically, the ParaVerse project sought …

Prevalence Of Psychiatric Comorbidities And Treatment Initiation In African American Pediatric Patients With Vitiligo: A Retrospective, Single-Center, Case-Control Study, Emily Strouphauer, Sana Suhail, Carly Mulinda, Promise Ufomadu, Nicole Nyamongo, Grace Lee, Soo Jung Kim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo may impact psychosocial development, especially among African American pediatric patients, given heightened visibility and increasing rates of anxiety and depression in this subpopulation.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate psychiatric comorbidities and treatment initiation in African American pediatric patients.

METHODS: A total of 327 African American pediatric patients with vitiligo were each matched to 3 patients without vitiligo by age, race, and sex in this case-control study. Prevalence of psychiatric conditions and subsequent initiation of pharmacotherapy and/or psychotherapy were analyzed.

RESULTS: Compared to controls, pediatric African American patients with vitiligo were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with depression (

LIMITATIONS: This …

Emotional And Behavioural Difficulties Among Children And Adolescents Attending “Art Teen Clubs” In Mzuzu City In Northern Malawi: A Cross-Sectional Study, Paul U. Kaseka, Maggie Zgambo, Balwani C. Mbakaya, Mathews Lazarus, Obed Nkhata, Fatch W. Kalembo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: While triple anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has improved HIV-infected children surviving into adolescence and adulthood, these children remain vulnerable to HIV-related psychological disturbance due to both the direct HIV infection effects on the brain and indirect effects related to coping with a range of medical, psychological and social stresses associated with HIV, which makes it vital to identify their mental health needs. This study assessed the emotional and behavioural challenges of HIV perinatally infected children and adolescents with a completed disclosure process attending “ART teen club” in Malawi. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was conducted to obtain quantitative descriptive …

Instrument Development For Determining High School Students’ Epistemological And Ontological Beliefs Regarding Photography, Earl Stanford Maeser Jr.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Research in educational psychology has shown that students' beliefs about knowledge—known as personal epistemology—significantly impact their academic success. However, accurately measuring these beliefs has proven to be challenging due to the lack of reliable and valid tools. This study addresses this gap by developing and testing two tools aimed at assessing high school students' beliefs about knowledge and reality in the context of photography: the Photographic Knowledge Questionnaire (PKQ) and the Photographic Reality Questionnaire (PRQ).

Photography, with its strong ties to reality and representation, provides a unique way to explore personal beliefs about the nature of reality and how knowledge …

Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis In Children Born After Assisted Reproductive Technology, Carrie L Williams, Kathryn J Bunch, Charles Stiller, Michael F G Murphy, Beverley J Botting, Melanie C Davies, Barbara Luke, Philip J Lupo, Alastair G Sutcliffe

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Research question: Are children born after assisted reproductive technology (ART) at higher risk of developing Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH)?

Design: Records of children born after ART recorded by the UK Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority were linked to National Registry of Childhood Tumours records to determine the number of children developing LCH. Calculated person-years at risk were used in conjunction with the incidence of LCH in the general population to determine the expected number of cases if the cohort had the same incidence as the general population with similar age and sex, over the same calendar years. The standardized incidence …

Association Of Common And Rare Variants With Alzheimer’S Disease In More Than 13,000 Diverse Individuals With Whole-Genome Sequencing From The Alzheimer’S Disease Sequencing Project, Wan-Ping Lee, Seung Hoan Choi, Margaret G Shea, Po-Liang Cheng, Beth A Dombroski, Achilleas N Pitsillides, Nancy L Heard-Costa, Hui Wang, Katia Bulekova, Amanda B Kuzma, Yuk Yee Leung, John J Farrell, Honghuang Lin, Brian W Kunkle, Adam Naj, Elizabeth E Blue, Frederick Nusetor, Dongyu Wang, Eric Boerwinkle, William S Bush, Xiaoling Zhang, Philip L De Jager, Josée Dupuis, Lindsay A Farrer, Myriam Fornage, Eden Martin, Margaret Pericak-Vance, Sudha Seshadri, Ellen M Wijsman, Li-San Wang, Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project, Gerard D Schellenberg, Anita L Destefano, Jonathan L Haines, Gina M Peloso

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common disorder of the elderly that is both highly heritable and genetically heterogeneous.

Methods: We investigated the association of AD with both common variants and aggregates of rare coding and non-coding variants in 13,371 individuals of diverse ancestry with whole genome sequencing (WGS) data.

Results: Pooled-population analyses of all individuals identified genetic variants at apolipoprotein E (APOE) and BIN1 associated with AD (p < 5 × 10-8). Subgroup-specific analyses identified a haplotype on chromosome 14 including PSEN1 associated with AD in Hispanics, further supported by aggregate testing of rare coding and non-coding variants in the region. Common variants in LINC00320 were observed associated with AD in Black individuals (p = 1.9 × 10-9). Finally, we observed rare non-coding variants in the promoter of TOMM40 distinct of APOE in pooled-population analyses (p = 7.2 × 10-8).

Discussion: We observed that complementary pooled-population and subgroup-specific analyses offered unique insights into the genetic architecture of AD.

Highlights: We determine the association of genetic variants with Alzheimer's disease (AD) using …

Incorporating An Analytical Approach To Ethical Reasoning Into An Ethics Case Conference For Residents, Holland Kaplan, Alyssa Kahl, Jonathan Lim

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Educating residents to apply ethical principles in clinical practice is critical in achieving standards in professionalism. We implemented biweekly ethics morning report case conferences incorporating a validated analytical tool in medical ethics, the Four-Box Method, from July 2022 to June 2023 in our internal medicine residency program. In 24 ethics morning reports, over 73% of participants reported that the intervention helped them achieve each of three learning objectives in ethics education. Ninety-two percent of cases addressed > 1 ethical issue. Our intervention may be easily integrated into the morning report conference structure as an educational tool in medical ethics across internal …

Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences And Non-Live Births, Mudasir Mustafa

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Around 62 percent of adults in the United States have endured at least one type of Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE), and 25 percent of women reported experiencing three or more ACEs in their lifetime. This study explored whether maternal exposure to ACEs was associated with pregnancy loss or abortion, utilizing the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (known as Add Health) to explore this association. I found that cumulative ACEs, assessed through either the conventional ACE scale (reflecting 10 types of ACEs) or the extended ACE scale (reflecting 14 types of ACEs), are associated with a higher likelihood …

Development Of A Multidimensional Index Of Fall Risk For Older Adults: The Cache County Study, Alexandra G. Hammond

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

One out of four adults over the age of 65 are estimated to fall each year in the U.S. alone, with that number expected to rise to 52 million falls per year by the year 2030. Improving accuracy for identification of older adults at a higher risk of falling is increasingly important and may be integral in informing the distribution of limited resources and assist in preventing falls in older adults. This project examined the relationship between previously identified risk factors and fall risk to create multidimensional fall risk indexes for older adults, specific for each sex.

Factors best associated …

The Geoarchaeology Of An Early Agricultural Landscape On Clear Creek, Fremont Indian State Park, Utah, Michael D. Bianchini

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Clear Creek is a major Fremont early agricultural landscape in central Utah. The Fremont culture occupied the northern Colorado Plateau and the eastern Great Basin for approximately 1,000 years between AD 300–1300. This study builds an alluvial chronology that details the local history of alluvial fan development and erosion and examines the geoarchaeological context at Five Finger Ridge, the major occupation site in the valley. Geochronologic dating of sediment deposits, analyses of sediment types, AMS radiocarbon dating, and optically stimulated luminescence dating (OSL) ages has helped identify geomorphic contexts of Fremont agriculture in Clear Creek Canyon. This study focuses on …

Perceived Support For Climate Policy In Australia: The Asymmetrical Influence Of Voting Behaviour, Zoe Leviston, Samantha K. Stanley, Iain Walker

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

A comprehensive policy response from wealthy nations is a necessary step to limiting catastrophic climate change. Community attitudes toward policy, and polarisation along political lines, may threaten this response. Using two representative cross-sectional survey studies of Australian voters (N = 2013; N = 3834), we test levels of support for a range of climate policies, levels of partisan polarisation, and whether people misperceive support among other partisans (false polarisation). Importantly, we investigate how perceptions differ across voting groups spanning left-wing, centre-left-wing, centre-right-wing, and right-wing voting orientations. In Study 1, we find support for climate policy across the political spectrum. However, …

Towards Sustainable Resource Management: Graph Modelling Insights From Ghana's Oil And Gas Local Content Ecosystem, Ebenezer Afrifa-Yamoah

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

A critical aspect of the management of oil and gas resources in Ghana is the effective promotion and development of local content to maximise the participation of local businesses and workforce in the oil and gas industry. This study examined local content drive in Ghana's oil and gas sector, analyzing its functional relations with institutional characteristics, participation, technology transfer, and economic growth via graph modelling framework. A total of 250 key stakeholders were involved in this cross-sectional study. A network analysis revealed the centrality of institutional characteristics in driving local content development, while economic growth was the least integrated domain. …

Factors Impeding Mental Health Help-Seeking: A Literature Review, Justin Benner

University Honors Theses

This article is an examination and review of a selection of research articles published in relation to factors that serve as barriers that inhibit the mental health help seeking process. Untreated mental illness is a significant problem within the United States, with a reported more than half of adults within the United States not receiving treatment. In order to discover possible causes, 28 articles all released within the last 20 years, had a primary focus on barriers to mental health treatment seeking and featured adult populations within the United States were chosen. Findings where that stigma both serves as a …

The Role Of Christianity In Shaping Agrarian Policies And Environmental Interactions: A Comparative Analysis Of The Uk And The Netherlands, Grace N. Brimble

University Honors Theses

This thesis explores the enduring influence of Protestant Christianity on agrarian practices and environmental policies in the UK and the Netherlands, focusing on how historical religious values shape modern ecological and political landscapes. Despite increasing secularism, Protestant ethics--emphasising stewardship, diligence, and moral responsibility--persist culturally, influencing debates on sustainability, rural identity, and land use. Using case studies such as nitrogen policy protests in the Netherlands and post-Brexit agricultural transitions in the UK, this analysis highlights the symbolic role of Christian values in framing resistance and adaptation to contemporary challenges. The research combines discourse analysis and ethnographic perspectives to uncover the interplay …

The Relationship Between Police Stress And Officer Misconduct, Leobardo Lopez-Cristobal

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Recent high-profile and controversial police-related incidents have sparked an intensified public discourse on police misconduct. This has resulted in increasing calls for greater accountability and transparency within U.S. police agencies. Much of the existing research on police misconduct centers around two competing explanations: the "bad apples" perspective, which attributes misconduct to individual officers, and the "bad barrels" perspective, which points to systemic or organizational factors (Rojek, Decker, & Wagner, 2015). However, one factor that has been underexplored in the literature is the role of police stress in influencing deviant police behavior. Previous studies suggest a potential link between police-related stress …

Strategies For Competitive Advantage In Libraries And Information Centers, De-Graft Johnson Dei, Linda Anane-Donkor

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Libraries and information centers keep experiencing sluggish growth due to the absence of an integrated and coherent strategy that can be deployed to enable them to be competitive, have a competitive advantage, and gain market position. This study, therefore, sought to assess the strategies for competition in libraries and information centers and develop a framework that can be deployed in libraries and information centers for competitive advantage. The study adopted a conceptual and qualitative approach to research. Based on the review and analysis, the researcher developed a framework that suggests that technology (infrastructure, social media systems, gamification, and artificial intelligence) …

Cover And Forewords, C. Nicholas Raphael

The Geographical Bulletin

Cover and Forewords

Wartime Encounter With Geography., C. Nicholas Raphael

The Geographical Bulletin

Every once in a while a book comes along that I cannot put down once I first pick it up to inspect it to see if it is worthy of my time. I obtained Wartime Encounter With Geography based upon my respect for Professor de Blij and because it seemed it might well be interesting. It arrived right in the middle of the semester, just when I did not have the time for (what I thought would be) recreational reading . I did, however, think I had a few minutes to take what I thought would be a quick scan …

Volume 43-1 Complete Issue, C. Nicholas Raphael

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 43-1 Complete Issue

Essays In Human Ecology By Donald J. Bogue. C, Wendy Shaw

The Geographical Bulletin

As we enter the twenty -first century this publication is timely, focusing on is - sues of aging that are projected to be - come increasingly important and press - ing in the near future. As the author states 'The "elderly boom " will officially begin in 2011 , the 65th anniversary of the sudden upsurge in births following the end of World War II .. In the year 2000 the percent of the U.S. population aged 65 or older is estimated to be 12 .8; by 2030 this percentage is expected to have risen to over 20 percent. In …

Contemporary Regulatory Policy By M. Eisner, J. Worsham, And E. Ringquist: Lynne Rienner, C. Nicholas Raphael

The Geographical Bulletin

In Contemporary Regulatory Policy, Eisner, Worsham, and Ringquist provide the novice and seasoned student of regulatory policy with an innovative and in- tegrative perspective on the sometimes 'wonk-ish' world of policy analysis. Using jargon sparingly, a predictable organization template for each chapter, an accessible, and at times irreverent, writing style, the book examines the multifaceted public policy process, in general and government regulation, specifically. Through the construction of several substantively and conceptually different case studies, the book examines the evolution of U.S. regulatory legislation. From the early industry-specific controls to the establishment of wider society-wide programs, the authors demonstrate the …

Between Africa And The Abyss: Globalization, Media, And The Invisibility Of A Continent, Julie A. Silva, Elvin K. Wyly

The Geographical Bulletin

Mass communication, perception, and mental maps are pervasive themes in human geography. Yet the role of globalization on our collective mental maps remains poorly understood, raising critical questions of theory and policy as flows of capital, people, and ideas continue to blur the boundaries between local and international events. This paper analyzes these themes in the context of subSaharan Africa, focusing specifically on the civil war in Sierra Leone. The nature of armed conflict in Africa has evolved considerably in recent decades, and the globalization of Western media has altered the way the region has been portrayed. As publishers, editors, …