Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Autism Spectrum Disorder-Specific Knowledge And Self-Efficacy Among Early Interventionists In Alabama, Greta R. Conlon

All ETDs from UAB

Young children diagnosed with autism and those who will go on to receive an autism diagnosis are frequently enrolled in early intervention services under Part C of IDEA. ASD-specific knowledge and self-efficacy have been shown to vary among providers working with autistic children, including those providing early intervention services (i.e., early interventionists). The current study aimed to characterize ASD-specific knowledge and self-efficacy in a sample of early interventionists in Alabama. In addition, it sought to identify differences in knowledge and self-efficacy between early interventionists serving different roles and to identify predictors of identified knowledge levels and self-efficacy ratings among participants. …

Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Well-Being Among New York Police Department Law Enforcement Agents, La’Lisa Scudder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem this quantitative study addressed was police officers’ willingness to use organizational help-seeking interventions and rely on organizational support to mitigate operational and organizational stress. Previous literature discussed how officers engaged in different maladaptive coping behaviors as a result of work related stressor or low well-being, divorce, depression, prescription drug abuse, alcoholism, and suicide. The purpose of this quantitative correlational cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and well-being among law enforcement agents and examine agents’ willingness to use organizational-based intervention services. The organizational support theory and the social exchange theory provided the theoretical framework for …

The Paradox Of Choice: User Preferences And Completion Rates In Single-Session Vs. Multi-Session Digital Mental Health Interventions, Emily M. Bowers, Korena S. Klimczak, Ty B. Aller, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Faculty Publications

Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) offer scalable solutions for addressing mental health needs, but low adherence remains a significant challenge. Single session DMHIs may offer a feasible alternative to address this issue, providing an accessible and low-effort option for users. The present study examines whether adding the choice of a single session DMHI in addition to a multi-session DMHI provides a feasible alternative for users who might otherwise disengage. This study examined naturalistic data from 509 university students who registered for a 12-session DMHI, single session DMHI, or both. The majority (58%) chose only the multi-session DMHI, while 24.2% chose …

Prediction Of Methotrexate Neurotoxicity Using Clinical, Sociodemographic, And Area-Based Information In Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Rachel D Harris, Olga A Taylor, Maria Monica Gramatges, Amy E Hughes, Mark Zobeck, Sandi Pruitt, M Brooke Bernhardt, Ashley Chavana, Van Huynh, Kathleen Ludwig, Laura Klesse, Kenneth Heym, Timothy Griffin, Rodrigo Erana, Juan Carlos Bernini, Ashley Choi, Yuu Ohno, Melissa A Richard, Alanna C Morrison, Han Chen, Bing Yu, Philip J Lupo, Karen R Rabin, Michael E Scheurer, Austin L Brown

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: Methotrexate is a critical component of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) therapy that can result in neurotoxicity which has been associated with an increased risk of relapse. We leveraged machine learning to develop a neurotoxicity risk prediction model in a diverse cohort of children with ALL.

Methods: We included children (age 2-20 years) diagnosed with ALL (2005-2019) and treated in Texas without pre-existing neurologic disease. Clinical information was obtained by medical record review. Neurotoxicity occurring post-induction and prior to maintenance therapy was defined as neurologic episodes occurring within 21 days of methotrexate. Suspected cases were independently confirmed by 2 …

Asset Building For All, Starting At Birth: Emergence Of A Federal Policy And A Key Design Lesson, Michael Sherraden, Margaret M. Clancy, Jin Huang, Ray Boshara, Lissa Johnson

Center for Social Development Research

A proposal in the 2025 tax-reconciliation bill would provide federal Child Development Account–like accounts for all children born between 2024 and 2028, with a provision enabling children born in 2028 or after to open accounts. This Policy Brief is designed to inform public debate about the legislation through a discussion of the evidence underpinning the most fundamental of many lessons learned from SEED for Oklahoma Kids, the Center for Social Development’s long-running, randomized experiment with Child Development Account policy: the need for a centralized savings-plan platform.

Women's Learning For Community Peacebuilding, Robin Neustater

Peace and Conflict Studies

Around the world, every day, women work on building peace in their communities. Through various roles, paid and unpaid, women’s community care work is significant to the lives of individuals, families, communities, and the women themselves. Understandings of peace are varied, and often nuanced to the context and experience of who is defining peace. How women define peace will inform how they think about peacebuilding. Women engage in learning about peace and for their peacebuilding work, through nonformal and formal programs, and through experience and role models. Their learning to do peace is vital to getting things done. This article …

‘You’ And ‘We’ In #Womanlifefreedom: A Corpus-Based Discourse Analysis Of Collective Identities And Speech Acts In The Twitter’S Discourse Of Iranian Protests, Kimiya Roohani

Peace and Conflict Studies

This paper applies corpus linguistic discourse analysis to approach the social media discourse of a recent political movement in Iran, known as #WomanLifeFreedom and Mahsa Amini. The movement included vast protests in different parts of Iran and went viral on an international scale. Protesters relied heavily on social media, particularly Twitter, to determine strategies and support each other during the expansive calls. To address the discourse shaped in that platform, a corpus was compiled from the Twitter posts, named Mahsa Amini Tweets Corpus (MATC). Using this data collection and analysis method, the endeavour was to obtain a balance between quantitative …

A Study Of The Management Of The Herders-Farmers Conflict-Induced Internal Displacement In Nigeria, Rita Iorbo, Dick Taverishima Andzenge

Peace and Conflict Studies

The management of the herdsmen-farmers conflict-induced internal displacement in Nigeria was characterised by remote factors that affected the protection and assistance of internally displaced persons (IDPs). This qualitative study was conducted on 12 participants comprising humanitarian workers, IDPs, and lawmakers who were conversant with the persistent herdsmen-farmers conflict-induced internal displacement. The study explored the inter-connected relationship among stakeholders within the humanitarian ecosystem. It found that though the herdsmen-farmers conflict led to mass displacement, remote factors such as unwillingness of government, data challenges, the undiplomatic approach of government in the management of the displacement failed to win support of other stakeholders …

Social Capital And Protests In The United States, Carolyn Chisadza, Matthew Clance, Rangan Gupta

Peace and Conflict Studies

In the last decade we have witnessed rising protests in the United States associated with issues that form part of society’s social fabric that can either facilitate or break down collective behaviour. Rising social inequalities can cause people to no longer share the same values and force individuals to work against each other. This breakdown in social capital can be a key driver for protests as the marginalised attempt to voice their grievances. Using social capital data from the Social Capital Project and protest data from the GDELT Project for U.S counties, we find that higher social capital is negatively …

Review Of Records And Information Management (3rd Edition), Kathleen Broeder

Journal of Western Archives

Review of the third edition of Records and Information Management by Patricia C. Franks.

The Effect Of Ex-Ante Government Responsibility For Health On Public Health Financing In Post Pandemic Budgets, Denis Granados, Rylee Roman, Hallie Sidman

Working Papers Series

This paper investigates how pre-pandemic levels of government responsibility for public health financing influenced post-pandemic health spending across selected OECD countries. Using a combination of descriptive analysis and regression modeling, the study examines changes in public health expenditure per capita between 2019 and 2022, focusing on key variables such as the government’s share of health financing, the Total Pandemic Policy Intensity (PPI) index, and GDP per capita. Findings suggest that while all countries increased health spending post-COVID-19, the scale of change varied significantly based on economic capacity, institutional readiness, and political will. Notably, countries with higher pre-pandemic public health investment …

Transforming Heritage Narratives: Harnessing The Power Of Four Truth Inquiry To Reclaim Women’S History And Reinvent Climate Communication At Interpretive Sites, Pamela Blair-Bruce

Dissertations

Abstract

Heritage sites, particularly national parks, serve as powerful spaces for storytelling that shape public understanding of American history, cultures, ecological processes, and diverse landscapes. However, their narratives often omit critical aspects of women’s history and climate change, perpetuating historical erasure and selective storytelling. This qualitative research study applies the Four-Truth Framework developed by the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission to examine how heritage interpretation can improve the recognition of women’s contributions and strengthen climate communication at heritage sites. To explore approaches to women’s history interpretation, the study employed semi-structured, focus group interviews with educators, historians, and interpreters across …

No. 42: Remittance Practices, Digital Technologies And The Ghana-Canada Migration Corridor, Naomi Sunu, Sujata Ramachandran

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

Migrant remittances have been recognized as vital resources for the well-being of recipient households and communities, as well as for sustainable development in the Global South. However, these flows can be impeded by limitations in the infrastructure, financial systems, and regulatory environments of both sending and receiving countries, as exemplified by the high costs associated with remitting to sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, the use of less secure but more affordable informal remittance channels persists. Driven by the rapid growth of fintech technologies in recent years, including mobile money and web-based platforms, the digitalization of remittance-sending and receiving processes has the potential …

Reform Vs Revolution: Revisiting Original Institutionalist’S Axiology, Jacob Powell

Working Papers

No abstract provided.

Unseen Burdens: Exploring Gender Disparities In Infertility Experience And Depressive Symptoms, Khiara Cardoza Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how experiences with infertility relate to mental health outcomes among newly married U.S. couples, emphasizing gender differences and the potential moderating role of gender attitudes. Using data from 3,137 individuals in a nationally representative sample, three Actor-Partner Interdependence Models were estimated: first assessing actor and partner effects of infertility on depressive symptoms and subsequently incorporating gender attitudes as moderators. Results indicated a significant actor effect for wives, where infertility was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms, and this association was significantly stronger for wives than for husbands. No significant effects were found for husbands' infertility and …

Functional Resilience Of Healthcare In The Critical Juncture Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Avner Kronisch, Christian Bongiorno, Kerane Smith, John Baker

Working Papers Series

This paper offers a comparative analysis of eight national healthcare systems—spanning democracies, autocracies, and various institutional models—to evaluate resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on Shvetsova et al.’s framework of informational and authority redundancies, and Parker & Klein’s “choke point” theory of healthcare rationing, we examine how institutional structure shaped pandemic response, system adaptability, and continuity of non-COVID services. Using indicators like life expectancy, under-five mortality, hospital capacity, cancer survival, and excess mortality, we explore how systems absorbed shock and maintained essential care. We find that decentralized and polycentric governance structures, when paired with coordination and resource adequacy, enhanced resilience—exemplified …

Covid-19 & Healthcare (Re)Privatization? A Comparative Analysis Of High And Medium Per Capita Gdp Countries, Kristina Donders, Kaitlyn Matthews, Brittany Reyes, Frank. H. Rizzo

Working Papers Series

This paper examines whether the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated healthcare privatization in high- and medium-GDP countries. Drawing on political economy theories of path dependence and privatization, we analyze changes in public and private healthcare expenditures in eight countries: Canada, Chile, Denmark, Georgia, Luxembourg, Norway, the Philippines, and South Korea—comparing data from 2019 and 2022. Using World Bank indicators on healthcare financing, GDP, aging populations, and food insecurity, we find that although healthcare expenditures generally increased during the pandemic, this increase was primarily in public, not private, spending. Case studies of Georgia and South Korea reveal that local economic and demographic pressures, …

Institutional Change In Healthcare As Brought About By The Critical Juncture Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Olga Shvetsova

Working Papers Series

This introduction to the 2025 capstone symposium lays the conceptual groundwork for a new approach to analyzing institutional change in healthcare systems triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Departing from conventional legal-institutional perspectives, it extends the decision space framework developed by Bossert (1998) to capture both formal authority and the de-facto responsibilities exercised by public and non-public actors. By disaggregating health responsibilities across levels of government and sectors—public, private, and hybrid—and operationalizing these as quantifiable indicators over time, the framework allows for real-time and comparative assessment of institutional transformation. The pandemic is treated as a critical juncture that exposed and reconfigured …

A Qualitative Analysis Of A Culturally Adapted Pcit Training For Black And Latine Clinicians: Creating Communities For Providers Of Autistic Youth, Harlee Onovbiona, Felipa Chavez, Lauren Quetsch, Ashley Scudder

Psychology Faculty Publications

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a widely known evidenced-based treatment (EBT) that has been used with Latine, Black, and neurodiverse children to improve the parent-child relationship and reduce challenging behaviors. Although considerable efforts have been made to disseminate PCIT to the wider community, fewer strides have been made to reach Black and Latine families in underserved communities—especially for families with neurodiverse children. One method to bridge the service gap for Black and Latine families is to train Black and Latine clinicians who primarily serve Black and Latine communities. Thus, the current pilot utilized a qualitative design and the Ecological Validity …

Shedding Light On Inequities Of Power Outages Through Data Transparency, Kelly A. Stevens, Sanam K. Aksha, Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman, Elizabeth Trader, Herbert Longenecker, Rebecca Entress, Thomas Wahl, Christopher Emrich, Kristopher O. Davis

Faculty Publications

In a changing climate, the electricity grid is increasingly exposed to more extreme weather that results in significant power outages. Further, lower income and racial-ethnic minority households are more likely to experience a higher frequency and duration of power outages compared to less socially vulnerable groups. The literature on the unequal impacts of power outages is a new, growing area of research that has been stymied in part due to the difficulty acquiring high spatial resolution, historical power outage data from utilities. In this Perspectives article, we review the availability of power outage data, and what can be learned from …

Shedding Light On Inequities Of Power Outages Through Data Transparency, Kelly A. Stevens, Sanam K. Aksha, Mohammed Siddiqur Rahman, Elizabeth Trader, Herbert Longenecker, Rebecca Entress

Faculty Publications

In a changing climate, the electricity grid is increasingly exposed to more extreme weather that results in significant power outages. Further, lower income and racial-ethnic minority households are more likely to experience a higher frequency and duration of power outages compared to less socially vulnerable groups. The literature on the unequal impacts of power outages is a new, growing area of research that has been stymied in part due to the difficulty acquiring high spatial resolution, historical power outage data from utilities. In this Perspectives article, we review the availability of power outage data, and what can be learned from …

Representations Of Queer Cowboys In History, Literature, And Film, Olivia Black

History & Classics Undergraduate Theses

My senior thesis focuses on showing the existence and erasure of queerness in American cowboys. The first chapter uses two journals from two different cowboys as well as an article from a Denver newspaper to establish what being queer looked like to cowboys and how that queerness continued after the end of the Frontier. Chapter two focuses on interpretations of cowboys in literature using two fictional cowboy stories which included the queer aspects of cowboy life as well as autobiographical and fictional cowboy poetry that confirmed explicit homosexual activity and revealed a shift in public views on being queer. The …

Adoption, Friendships, And Social Skills, Alexis M. Chelle

Sociology Undergraduate Senior Theses

Adoption functions as both an identity status and a source of unique social benefits and challenges for teenagers, informing their experience of friendship. While prior research primarily focuses on individual outcomes and difficulties that adoptees face, such as trauma-related disorders and social skill deficits, it often overlooks how adoptees and their parents perceive these impacts on peer relationships. This study draws on twenty-one in-depth interviews with adoptees ages thirteen to twenty-one and their adoptive parents to explore the role that adoption and adverse childhood experiences have on an adopted teen’s experience of friendships. Findings reveal that despite facing significant social …

New Definitions Of Library Use: Experimentation, Discovery, And Creation (Edc) Within A Library, Holt Zaugg

Faculty Publications

Why did you do this activity, project, or research?

Over the last decade, libraries have shifted from being primarily repositories for information and resources to active learning centers. Physical resources (e.g., books, journals, manuscripts) have moved to online access. Librarian roles have adjusted how they help patrons find and access resources in their local library and beyond, resulting in impactful input on research, learning, and scholarly endeavors. Additionally, due to a reduced need for storing materials, libraries have developed collaborative and innovative spaces to meet patrons’ needs. These spaces include group study rooms, experiential studios, makerspaces, green rooms, and podcast …

Creation Of An Open Access Textbook, Sue Ann Gardner

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Presentations

Slide presented during the PRCA Research Celebration, June 3, 2025, in the University Libraries, University of Nebraska-Lincoln titled Creation of an Open Access Textbook, about the development and publication of Concepts in Animal Parasitology, co-edited by Scott L. Gardner and Sue Ann Gardner and published by Zea Books (Lincoln, Nebraska, USA) in 2024.

Co-Designing A Digital Nutrition Intervention For Individuals With Severe Mental Illness Using The Behaviour Change Wheel, Ciara O'Sullivan, Tara Coppinger, Indika Dhanapala, Alison Merrotsy

Publications

Title: Co-Designing a Digital Nutrition Intervention for Individuals with Severe Mental Illness Using the Behaviour Change Wheel

Purpose: This study aims to develop a digital nutrition intervention for individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) residing in high-support mental health hostels, using a theoretically informed co-design approach.

Design/methodology/approach: This study will employ a participatory, mixed-methods approach, incorporating Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) to ensure user-centred intervention design. The Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) guides the selection of intervention functions, Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) and delivery methods. The study will consist of three phases: (1) Preparation, (2) Co-Design, and (3) Finalisation.

Findings: Data …

Stroke Survivors: Predicting Cognitive Outcomes By Stroke Severity, Caregiver Factors, & Social Determinants Of Health, Jason Alexander Blake

All ETDs from UAB

Physical and cognitive disabilities are common following a stroke, often leading to significant changes in survivors' daily lives and increasing dependency on caregivers. These changes can include involuntary retirement, loss of independence, and decreased social engagement, which may necessitate adjustments in living arrangements and long-term care. This dissertation investigates the predictors of cognitive outcomes in stroke survivors, with a particular focus on the roles of stroke severity and caregiver factors. Utilizing data from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) project, this research captures the different predictors of post-stroke cognition through biennial assessments. Through longitudinal studies, this …

Waterfront Mapping Tool: Connecting The Development Dots, Molly Schnoke, Jack Yochum

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Center for Economic Development, in collaboration with the Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP), the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Metroparks, and Cuyahoga County, are excited to announce the launch of the “Waterfront Mapping Tool, Connecting the Development Dots”.

This is an interactive ArcGIS Online tool that tracks ongoing and completed economic, real estate and mobility projects along Cleveland's lakefront and the Cuyahoga River, providing up-to-date information on project costs, timelines, and development phases. The intended goal is for the tool to serve as a comprehensive resource for planners and stakeholders, offering a clear picture of the waterfront’s transformation.

Examining Risk And Protective Factors Of African Americans Who Use Substances, Dominique Ashonta Black

All ETDs from UAB

African Americans (AAs) are less likely to report internalized symptoms and substance use compared to other racial groups but tend to report more severe symptoms related to either condition. Research suggests internalized symptoms and substance use share a causal relationship or an underlying factor that contributes to both conditions. Risk factors such as stress, discrimination, and trauma strengthen the relationship between anxiety and substance use in AAs. A higher prevalence of stress, discrimination, and trauma exposure was found in AAs when compared to other racial groups, increasing AAs risk for internalized symptoms and substance use. While it is important to …

Benefits And Challenges Of Collaborative Networks Addressing Food System Disruptions During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Dikshya Dahal, Tania Schusler

School of Environmental Sustainability: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted food systems with disproportionate impacts on marginalized social groups, which in the USA included racial and ethnic minorities, working class families, immigrants, seniors, and people with disabilities, among others. The pandemic also greatly affected the operations of nonprofit organizations, which play important roles in disaster response. We explored how social networks supported non-profit organizations’ efforts to address increased food insecurity and food-related business disruptions during the pandemic in the Chicago region, IL, USA. We used mixed methods including a Social Network Analysis (SNA) of 48 organizations and their reported partners plus focus group discussions with representatives …