Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Arab Refugees With Physical Disabilities: An Exploration Of Barriers Within The Resettlement Process, Qusay S. Hussein Msw, Lailea Noel Phd

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A series of global crises—the war on terror and its subsequent geopolitical disruptions, climate change, and political and economic instability —have created new waves of refugees, primarily from the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America. Among these refugees are people with sensory disabilities (PWD). While all refugees require support and encounter challenges to adapting to their resettlement countries, those with physical disabilities face additional barriers to successful resettlement and integration into their resettlement communities. These additional barriers include access to accessibility services for alternative communication methods, orientation and mobility assistance, disability-specific medical support, as well as social support to …

Global Deaf And Disability-Led Partnerships For Accessible Emergency Response And Humanitarian Action, Alina A. Engelman, Joe Booze, Alexia Izquierdo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Disability-serving non-profit, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play a critical role in fostering care networks and supporting humanitarian action for disabled people before and during emergencies, particularly in the absence of targeted philanthropic and governmental support. However, relatively few NGOs serving disabled people are led or operated by people with disabilities, especially by disabled women. This analysis, based on survey and interview data with leadership, explores the impact of two disability-led operations. Findings have profound implications for how social work practice can center disability justice both in preparing for and responding to emergencies. This paper assesses the needs and impact of two …

Diverging From Conventional Autism Research Through Meaningfully Including An Adult Autism Community: Processes Of Engaging Ottawa’S Adult Autism Community In Critical And Emancipatory Autism Research, Margaret Janse Van Rensburg, Courtney Weaver

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Traditional research practices that aim to find causes, cures, and fixes for autism, without meaningful involvement of Autistic individuals, undermine disability justice and the inherent value of the Autistic perspective and Autistic contributions to society. Limited studies address the process of inclusive research and upholding disability justice principles; therefore this paper presents the process of a participatory planning stage for a research study committed to disability justice and social change for Autistic people. Drawing from the principles of disability justice, including intersectionality, leadership, anti-capitalism, cross-movement organizing, and collective liberation, the paper outlines both the successes and obstacles encountered during the …

Does Learning About Social Policy In A Global Context Change Students’ Views On U.S. Social Policies?, Dirk De Jong, Dennis Kao

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article reviews the development and implementation of a course titled “Social Policy Without Borders” and an evaluation of students’ attitudes toward social policies as a result of having taken the course. “Social Policy Without Borders” is an undergraduate social work elective and involves a cross-national analysis of social policies and an examination of the impact of neoliberalism on social policies and social welfare systems globally. This paper reports on an evaluation of outcome in terms of possible changes in students’ views on social policies in the United States as a result of learning about their global context. The evaluation …

Racial Disparities In Hpv Vaccine Uptake Among Adult Black And White Latinx Cisgender Men In The United States: Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System 2014-2022, Nixon R. Arauz, M.A., Dina T. Garcia, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed.

Graduate Research Posters

Background: Latinx men are more likely to get human papillomavirus (HPV) and cancers caused by HPV compared non-Latinx whites. Despite a national vaccination rate of 59%, only 25% of adult Latinx men are vaccinated. Notably, Latinx individuals can belong to any race. Existing research often overlooks nuances like experiences with structural racism in healthcare settings when examining HPV vaccine uptake among Latinx individuals. This study addresses this gap by investigating HPV vaccination factors among Latinx adults, with a focus on racial disparities.

Methods: Using data from the 2014-2022 Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System, this study examined HPV vaccine uptake among …

Mitigating Organizational Conspiracy Beliefs Through Strategic Internal Communication And Employee–Organization Relationships (Eor) In The Workplace, Young Kim, Hyunji (Dana) Lim

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study is to explore how strategic internal communication and the quality of employee – organization relationship (EOR) can reduce organizational conspiracy beliefs among employees and thus prevent the negative outcomes thereof in the workplace. Using a national survey (N = 810) of full-time employees in the United States, this study found that high-quality EOR based on two-way symmetrical communication with employees is likely to reduce the potential for conspiracy theories and, in turn, for turnover intentions in the workplace. This finding provides meaningful insight into how internal communication managers can mitigate negative employee outcomes that …

Assessing Reliability And Validity Of The Parental Responsiveness Rating Scale During Book Reading, Yuqi Zhang, Jennifer Locasale-Crouch, Brianna Jaworski, Khara Turnbull, Rachel Moon, Eve Colson, Fern Hauck, Nicole Geller

Graduate Research Posters

Parental responsiveness, defined as emotionally supportive behaviors, is consistently related to children’s development in research studies. It reflects attention to children’s emotional functioning through providing comfort, reassurance, and encouragement. However, measuring parental responsiveness in everyday practice has been challenging due to the complexity of available tools. The Parental Responsiveness Rating Scale (PaRRiS), a brief observational rating scale that quickly and directly measures the quality of parent-child interactions, shows promise in bridging this research-to-practice gap. Several small-scale studies in UK clinical settings found PaRRiS to be easily implemented, reliable, and valid. Additional studies are needed to explore PaRRiS’s potential use within …

An Exploratory Examination Of Delay Discounting In Women And Girls Diagnosed With An Eating Disorder, Marissa L. Donahue, Mariah E. Willis-Moore, Julie M. Petersen, Amy L. Odum, Michael E. Levin, Josephine N. Hannah, Tera Lensegrav-Benson, Benita Quakenbush, Michael Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Those with eating disorders (ED) characterized by purging behaviors tend to show more impulsivity than those diagnosed with restrictive eating, who tend to show more compulsivity. Impulsive choice (i.e., a type of impulsivity) is a common factor among eating disorders that is less understood. Delay discounting is a measure of choice impulsivity, examining the decrease in value of delayed outcomes. In this exploratory study, we examined associations between eating disorder type, age and delay discounting among patients at a residential ED treatment center (N = 178). Our findings showed that those diagnosed with bulimia nervosa had higher delay discounting (i.e., …

Review Of How Ai Works: From Sorcery To Science, By Ronald T. Kneusel, Taylor J. Greene

Library Articles and Research

A review of How AI Works: From Sorcery to Science, by Ronald T. Kneusel.

Saudi Arabia's Nuclear Decision-Making In The Era Of Mohammad Bin Salman, Andrew Brown

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Strategic culture plays a crucial role in shaping countries’ decision-making in regard to security and foreign policy. In the context of nuclear proliferation, strategic culture can significantly impact a country’s willingness to pursue nuclear weapons and how it calculates the risks and benefits of such a decision. This thesis examines Saudi Arabia’s decision-making under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), who has brought about significant changes in the country's strategic culture through aggressive top-down reform. While much of Saudi Arabia's traditional strategic culture has remained intact under MBS and his father, King Salman, some elements have shifted …

Russian Chemical And Biological Weapons: Limiting The Effects Of Russian Cbw Programs On Nato Security Through 2035, Jason Gregory Porter

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This thesis uses qualitative research methods to: (1) assess the extent and capabilities of Russia’s modern chemical and biological weapons programs, (2) assess Russian compliance with arms control agreements, (3) determine the threats Russian chemical and biological weapons pose to NATO security, (4) assess NATO’s existing strategy against the modern chemical and biological threat, and (5) provide recommendations for U.S. and NATO policies and programs to mitigate the threat of these programs in the short and medium term. This project demonstrates that Russian chemical and biological weapons programs have remained consistently in violation of international arms control agreements since the …

Strategic Implications Caused By Hypersonic Strike Weapons, Marc D. Johnson

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Emerging technology is having a substantial impact on strategic stability. This thesis will analyze the impact of developing hypersonic weapon systems globally on strategic stability. Hypersonic weapons are defined as weapons that travel at least five times the speed of sound (Mach 5). Hypersonic Strike Weapons (HSW) are hypersonic weapons capable of maneuvering at hypersonic speeds that makes them much more difficult to engage when traveling at such high speeds. They are a relatively new technology that is currently being pursued by multiple nations throughout the world.

The United States is currently the only country that has officially declared all …

The Effect Of Email Communication On Professor-Student Rapport, Academic Self-Efficacy, Resiliency, Motivation, And Spirituality, David J. Heim

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Student retention and success rates are an increasing concern among collegiate administrators and educators. This study examined the influence of a college instructor’s email communications on professor-student rapport, student academic self-efficacy, resilience, motivation, and success. Researchers hypothesized that the student participants who received the encouraging email communications from their professor would demonstrate higher levels of professor-student rapport, higher levels of academic self-efficacy, resiliency, and success compared to the students who receive standard email communications from their professor. Five scales were utilized in this study including Professor-Student Rapport Scale, Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, Academic Resilience Scale (ARS-30), Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES), …

Nobody's Perfect: Examining The Relationship Between Parenting Traits And Perfectionism And The Impact Of Maladaptive Versus Adaptive Perfectionism On Cortisol Regulation After Receiving Criticism, Olivia G. Baron

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The trait of perfectionism has been related to both internalizing and externalizing psychopathology. Parenting traits, and attachment tendencies affect how children develop relationships and impact them into their adult lives. Parents have a large impact on their child’s personality traits, coping styles, and modeling reactions to outward criticism. Criticism, especially criticism delivered by parents, has been linked to perfectionism. Perfectionism often involves a self-critical component, though perfectionists have not been studied to examine stress responses (e.g. cortisol change) when receiving criticism. This study examined the relationships between parenting traits (positive and negative) and perfectionism (adaptive and maladaptive). Cortisol change scores …

Navigating Sexual Consent In Japan, Samara Mizutani Cesar

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Employing an exploratory sequential research design, including focus groups and an online survey, this thesis explores the factors influencing how Japanese people navigate the gray zones of sexual consent. This study not only addresses gaps in the literature on sexual consent but also provides a preliminary understanding of Japanese individuals’ perceptions, beliefs, behaviors, and experiences in ambiguous sexual interactions, which is particularly meaningful given Japan’s recent legal revisions and changing sociocultural landscape. Findings indicated the impact of traditional sexual scripts on consent perceptions, with gender and relationship norms contributing to the dismissal of sexual assaults within specific relationships. It was …

Aromatherapies And Stress: An Examination Of Saliva Sclarea In Acute Stress Conditions, Emily J. Van Gundy

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The use of essential oils as an alternative medicine in the United States is becoming increasingly popular as more accreditation is given to its therapeutic values. With this increase in use, we must continue to examine the uses of essential oils, including associated risks. One unavoidable aspect of life is stress, both acute and chronic. This study aims to better our understanding of the stress-reducing properties of the essential oil clary sage (salvia sclarea) after an experimentally induced acute stress experience. The Trier Social Stress Test was used to elicit an acute stress response. Participants were given the scent of …

Transforming The Culture Of Care, Implementation Of Developmentally Supportive Care In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Taylor Ann Jones

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The current study examines the implementation of the evidence-based practices of the neonatal integrative developmental care model in the neonatal intensive care unit and how these practices are implemented in reference to initiation method and frequency. In recent years, research examining the effectiveness of individualized, developmentally supportive care to infants in the NICU has demonstrated a variety of positive effects. Although great strides have been made in efforts to provide developmentally supportive care, wide variability and inconsistency remain in the quantity and quality of experience for infants and families in the NICU. Even though a hospital may incorporate developmentally supportive …

Tracing Global Experiences To Employer Favorability, Sarah E. Mccord

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Globalization has elevated society's workforce contributions, forcing employees to have global competence for career success. Global competence is a term used to describe the proficiencies an individual can gain from experienced-based learning opportunities, like study away. This form of experiential learning has proven to have many benefits for students in secondary and higher education. Existing evidence suggests cross-cultural and international experiences provide travelers with professional, intellectual, and integral traits, increasing their working social capital and aiding in experiential learning. However, research is lacking if employers desire study abroad experience in their new hires and/or if global competence is a skill …

Body. Freedom. Choice: Creating Artwork In Post-Roe America, Erin Sedra

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

I knew from a young age that I never wanted children. Whenever I expressed my disinterest in motherhood, I was often met with bewilderment, disapproval, and hostility. The church I was raised in taught me that my value and worth as a woman directly correlated with the power of my birthing hips. This fundamentalist upbringing has significantly shaped my relationship with my femininity, my body, and my artwork. When I feel powerless, turning to my art gives me a sense of control and self-expression. This body of work began as a reaction to the overturning of Roe v. Wade and …

I Just Don't Want To Hear It: A Look Into The Relationship Between The Dark Triad And Negative Criticism, Carson Montgomery Hewitt

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Three dark personality traits have been identified and grouped together to form what is known as the Dark Triad of personality. Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and Psychopathy are all connected by a lack of emotional empathy, and the presence of interpersonal hostility. When presented with negative stimuli, it is far from surprising to see an adverse reaction appear in participants scoring high in these traits. Little research has been conducted regarding the relationship between physiological response and dark triad personality traits. Even fewer so in the case of responses to criticism. This study aimed to examine the relationship between these dark personality …

Road Extraction On Remote Sensing Imagery: Historical Mapping Of The Brazilian Amazon, Jonas Paiva Botelho Jr

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This work proposes an artificial intelligence model based on U-Net architecture to map road networks in the Brazilian Amazon. Over the years, the Amazon region has been heavily exploited, leading to increased deforestation rates, contributing to CO2 emissions, amplifying global warming, and causing a disturbance in local fauna and flora. The expansion into the forest by illegal miners, loggers, and land grabbers can be tracked down by the construction of roads, which we can refer to as the arteries of deforestation. Previous works on the matter proposed algorithms that use high-resolution imagery to map roads precisely. However, this work approach …

Enhancing Workplace Climate And Learning Outcomes In Aba Services: Prosocial Approaches And Peak Instruction With Autistic Learners, Stephanie Vickroy

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The practice of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) heavily relies on the relationship between high quality client services and the direct care staff who implement these services. This thesis combines two manuscripts which discuss the field of behavior analysis in terms of clinical approaches. The first chapter evaluated intervention outcomes of 55 autistic learners undergoing language and cognitive training guided by PEAK (Promoting Emergence of Advanced Knowledge System; Dixon, 2014) within ABA services. Pre-post analyses of performance on the PCA revealed significant increases in PCA scores following 6-months of intervention and consistent gains in scores occurred across all four …

Evaluating The Maintenance Of Verbal Relational Operants Following Peak Programming, Jenna Huskey

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The Promoting the Emergence of Advanced Knowledge (PEAK) Relational Training System is an assessment and curriculum tool developed for basic and advanced language skills using behavior analytic approaches (Dixon, 2016). Maintenance describes the retention of performance following the progression of time. In the present study, the purpose was to determine if maintenance was achieved on previously mastered PEAK programs, both in terms of the content and the verbal relational operant (i.e., generalization to new, untrained content). De-identified data were analyzed for five autistic learners (six to fourteen years old) receiving ABA services at a Midwestern clinic. Programs were selected from …

Evaluating The Interdependency Of The Peak Comprehensive Assessment As It Relates To Performance Estimation And Curricular Programming For Autistic Learners, Julia A. Busam

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Assessments are widely used by behavior analysts throughout the field of Applied Behavior Analysis when determining curriculum and intervention for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This thesis combines and discusses two collaborative manuscripts that revolve around the subject of one commonly used ABA assessment and curriculum. The PEAK Relational Training System (PEAK, Dixon 2014-2016) provides a wide-ranging assessment and training program that incorporates Skinnerian verbal operant learning and derived relational responding expressed in contemporary Relational Frame Theories (Hayes et al., 2001). The PEAK Comprehensive Assessment (PEAK-CA; Dixon, 2018) was developed to standardize and streamline assessments from all four PEAK …

Online Assignment Submission Delay As A Behavioral Indicator Of Procrastination, Ari L. Cunningham

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Procrastination has long been recognized as an important topic in higher education, and various tools for measuring procrastination have focused on either behavioral or subjective components of the phenomenon. This study examines how online assignment submission delay, used as an objective measure of procrastination, relates to several conceptualizations of procrastination and pacing style measured through self-report questionnaires. It was hypothesized that median assignment submission delay would have a positive relationship with the included self-report measures, a positive relationship with the deadline action pacing style, and a negative relationship with the steady pacing style. Data was collected from 66 students in …

Parents' Understanding Of Children's Mental States: Emotion Regulation In Young Children And The Role Of Mindful Parenting, Parental Reflective Functioning, And Parental Emotion Regulation, Kate A. Senack

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Parenting is a demanding and stressful responsibility that leads to increased feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression among caregivers, which research has found to be significantly related to social incompetence and behavioral problems in children during early childhood. However, certain parenting practices such as parental emotion regulation, mindful parenting, and parental reflective functioning have been found to support children’s socioemotional development, and in particular emotion regulation. This study utilized a cross-sectional design to explore the relationship between the parenting practices of parental emotion regulation, mindful parenting, and parental reflective functioning in relation to children’s emotion regulation using simple linear regression …

Foreign Intervention And Internal Displacement: Urban Politics In Postwar Beirut, Amanda Rizkallah

All Faculty Open Access Publications

Uneven democratization is a common yet poorly understood legacy of civil war. In the aftermath of the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990), wartime processes of displacement interacted with Syria's intervention to transform local postwar political orders. In Beirut's suburbs, the bonds built between armed actors and displaced populations created opportunities for displaced people to extract responsiveness from local institutions, despite their vulnerability. But the power of displaced populations in their host community hinges on the fate of the locally dominant armed actor. If the armed actor is an ally of the intervening power, it can maintain political control over its strongholds, …

Why People Use Social Media: An Investigation Of Engagement On An All-Service Platform, Steven Bauer, Fang Tian

All Faculty Open Access Publications

This study provides the first investigation of the complete group of variables in the expanded theory of uses and gratifications on consumer engagement in an all-service social media platform. Consumer engagement is measured both from a psychological state and behavioral perspective, an approach which is important since the antecedent variables in uses and gratifications theory have both psychological and behavioral manifestations. A survey is conducted in Mainland China on WeChat with 805 respondents. Antecedent variables and consumer engagement are measured using previously validated scales. Regression analyses find that the antecedent variables of entertainment, integration/social interaction, personal identity, information, remuneration, and …

Impacts Of Self-Diagnosing And The Role Of Social Media, Sara Steffens

A with Honors Projects

This poster explores outcomes of self-diagnosing mental illness/disorders and how social media factors in.

The Parentification Of Eldest Daughters, Isabella Loraina Ciarico

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand the experience of eldest daughters and to research if parentification in childhood impacts eldest daughter identities. The goal was to dive deeper into what it means to be the eldest daughter and how being the eldest daughter aligns with parentification. Two research questions guided this study: (a) what is the experience of the eldest daughter, and (b) How does parentification in childhood impact eldest daughter identities? Findings showed the experiences of eldest daughters with parentification.