Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Mammography Social Support For Women Living In A Midwestern City: Toward Screening Promotion Via Social Interactions, Wasantha P. Jayawardene, Mohammad R. Torabi, David K. Lohrmann, Ahmed H. Youssefagha

Health Behavior Research

Notwithstanding recommendations and interventions, the percentage of 50 – 74-year-old U.S. women who reported having had a mammography in the past two years remained below target coverage. Social interactions may influence mammography rates. To measure characteristics of social interactions in a Midwestern city as they relate to social support for mammography received by women older than 40 years of age. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Bloomington, Indiana, sending mail surveys to 3,000 telephone directory addresses selected by simple random sampling. An anonymous, self-administered, closed-ended, questionnaire with eight checklist items (for demographics) and six multipart semantic differential scale items (for …

The Role Of Social Support In Dementia Care Facilities: Staff Member Perspectives, Malinda K. Dokos

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In this study, certified nursing assistants (CNAs) who work regularly with long-term care residents with dementia were interviewed to investigate whether they considered providing social and emotional support to people with dementia an important part of their jobs. They were given an online survey, then each participated in an in-person interview that was recorded and later transcribed and analyzed for common themes. Through data analysis, I found that the participating CNAs unanimously considered social support to be an important aspect of caring for someone with dementia, and several personal values were associated with this perspective. They also reported the trainings …

Exploring The Links Between Social Anxiety And Depression In The Maintenance Of Romantic Relationships, Christian M. Hahn

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Social anxiety is characterized by fear and avoidance of social encounters and has recently been associated with a variety of difficulties in romantic relationships. Complicating further investigation of these associations is the high degree of comorbidity between social anxiety and depressive symptomatology, which share several similarities in expression despite disparate underlying causes. The present thesis examines the unique influences of social anxiety and depression on a number of central aspects of relationship functioning and provide the first longitudinal investigation of the impacts of actor and partner social anxiety and depression on relationship quality and functioning. In Study 1, three independent …

The Role Of Social Disconnection In The Relationship Between Perfectionism And Psychological Distress, Samantha Chen

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation investigated the interpersonal mechanisms through which various aspects of perfectionism confer risk for psychological outcomes. Three studies were conducted based on the Perfectionism Social Disconnection Model (Hewitt, Flett, & Mikail, 2017), which proposes that individuals with higher levels of perfectionism may experience significant social disconnection, which then lead to a variety of maladaptive outcomes. Study 1 examined the longitudinal impacts of trait perfectionism and sense of relatedness on the variance in change in psychological outcomes. Findings showed that negative perceptions of relatedness partially mediated the link between socially prescribed perfectionism and psychological distress three months later; however, this …

Exploring Grief And Mourning In Work Teams: A Phenomenological Multi-Case Study, Ashley L. Kutach

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to explore the experiences of team members when a fellow team member returns to work after the unexpected death of a loved one. The participants in the study gave accounts of their personal experiences, and the overall team experiences, following a team member’s return to work. The goal of the study was to investigate these experiences to provide insight that is not available in current literature.

This research was a phenomenological multi-case study based on six theoretical literature foundations: grief dual process model, social support model, team-member exchange theory, social network theory, group …

Who’S Got My Back? Comparing Consumers’ Reactions Topeer‐Provided And Firm‐Provided Customer Support, Lan Jiang, Matthew O'Hern, Sara Hanson

Marketing Faculty Publications

This study demonstrates that when an individual encounters a product‐related problem, fellow consumers (i.e., one’s peers) have a unique advantage in providing social support to the affected consumer. Specifically, we find that social support can be a dominant driver of consumer satisfaction when the risk of customer defection is at its highest (i.e., following an unsuccessful attempt to solve the consumer’s problem). Using real‐world data from an online support community, a pilot study finds that if the problem that a consumer faces goes unsolved, satisfaction is greater when consumers receive peer‐provided versus firm‐provided support. Study 1 replicates this finding in …

The Intersection Of Aging And Pet Guardianship: Influences Of Health And Social Support, Ranell L. Mueller, Elizabeth G. Hunter

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Studies of the human-animal bond show many positive health effects for pet guardians including a sense of companionship, reduced depression and loneliness, and higher activity levels, yet few studies have examined factors such as how the pet guardians’ health, age, and social networks influence their relationship with and ability to care for their pet. These health factors may affect the ability of older adults to care for their pets, therefore inhibiting them from reaping positive benefits associated with pet guardianship. This qualitative study involved 21 in-depth interviews with older adults, aged 60+, who were pet guardians. Four themes emerged from …

Weak Social Support As An Indicator For Worse Trauma Related Symptoms, Michael B. Sugarman

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between social support and trauma related symptoms in trauma exposed participants. Using the SCID and CAPS, weak family support factors were found to be associated with a greater number and severity of trauma related symptoms; suggesting that family support is important for trauma exposed people.

Resilience Among Survivors Of Adverse Childhood Experiences In Appalachia, Bridget Jeter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The empirical investigation of adverse childhood events (ACEs) and their relationship with health and well-being outcomes in later life is increasing. Less is known about factors that may promote resilience for those who have survived such challenges, such as how resilience may be facilitated for those with ACEs residing in a marginalized region such as South Central Appalachia. Multidimensional spirituality, social support, stigma related to ACEs, and Appalachian acculturation may serve as both valid cultural factors and potential indicators of resilience. Cross-sectional, simultaneous multiple regression analysis was performed on data collected from 272 adult patients of a South Central Appalachian …

Longitudinal Effects Of Social Norms, Social Support For Physical Activity, Neighborhood Satisfaction, And Self-Efficacy On Light And Moderate-To-Vigorous Physical Activity In African American Adults, Lauren Huffman Law

Theses and Dissertations

Few adults meet physical activity (PA) guidelines, and low rates of PA have been linked to negative physical and mental health outcomes including overweight status, chronic disease, cancer risk, depression, and decreased cognitive functioning. Both light PA (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) have been linked to health outcomes, yet few studies have examined LPA associations in underserved and overweight populations. The neighborhood social environment, which includes social norms for PA, social support for PA, and neighborhood satisfaction, has been cited as an important factor of influence on PA behaviors. The current study aimed to integrate social cognitive theory and bioecological …

Understanding Social Support Among Dialysis Patients: A Study On Medical Social Workers Enhancing Social Support For Patients, Brandy Marie Covarrubias, Eloisa Cisneros Vizcaya

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Patients receiving dialysis treatment experience immense changes in their health and well-being, therefore receiving adequate social support services is an integral aspect of their care plan. Thus, the purpose of this study was to gain an understanding about social support services offered by social workers to patients receiving dialysis care. Furthermore, this study sought to develop awareness about additional services need to assist social workers in providing social, emotional, and physical support to patients. This qualitative study used data from a non-probability snowball sample of 10 social workers that work with patients receiving dialysis care. Findings of this study are …

Social Connectedness And Eating Disorder Symptomatology, Nicole Nunez

Psychology

Eating disorders are a well-known and well-documented issue with known deleterious effects on one’s health. Because of this fact, it is important to identify protective factors against the development and/or maintenance of eating disorders. Social support has been identified as a factor that can play a role in recovery from eating disorders. While the importance of social support has been broadly examined in research, social connectedness specifically has been explored less explicitly. Social connectedness involves feelings of belonging, identification with others, and healthy social interaction. This study sought to assess the role of social connectedness in eating disorder symptomatology. We …

Effects Of Intention Status And Social Support On Parental Investment, Kayla Downs

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

According to life history theory, human mothers rely on assistance from others for childrearing help. Studies have shown that mothers who have insufficient support often report having unwanted or mistimed pregnancies. In turn, unwanted pregnancies may lead to reduced parental investment. This study is the first to analyze the interaction between pregnancy intention status and social support to better understand parental investment. Using data from the Millennium Cohort Study of the U.K. which includes over 18,000 respondents, this study examines how planned pregnancy and social support variables – measured as assistance from a partner, family, or friends – is associated …

The Road To Recovery: Injured Athlete's Perspectives On Recovery Through Social Support, Brooke Kuhn

Master's Theses

Injured athletes’ perspectives on different aspect of their recovery process were analyzed using concepts such as social support, responsiveness, and self-disclosure based on three different sources: coaches, trainers, and teammates. 39 participants were used for this study. With an age range from 18-44 years old, the participants are both current college and former college athletes. Many of them ranged from the different types of sports played and at different divisional levels. 82.1% of participants were Caucasian, 12.8% were African American, and 5.1% selected other as their ethnicity. The results exemplify, through linear regression, that trainers are the most effective source …

The Role Of Social Supports On The Financial Toxicity Of Cancer., Lisa C. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although literature exists on the impact of cancer-related financial burden and its effects on quality of life, we do not have a full understanding of the nature of the financial burden on individuals and their families. Likewise, research on social support has concentrated on social, emotional, functional, and physical well-being but not on the financial well-being of individuals with cancer. The purpose of this study is to understand the role of social support in the relationship between financial toxicity and quality of life of individuals living with cancer. This research used a multiple method approach composed of two studies. Study …

Procesos Administrativos Y Contables Para La Fundación Dejando Huellas Mets, Diego Mauricio Cárdenas Diaz, Ivonne Alexandra Vargas Valderrama

Contaduría Pública

El trabajo presentado a continuación permite identificar el seguimiento realizado a la Fundación Dejando Huellas METS, ubicada en la localidad 18 Rafael Uribe Uribe de la ciudad de Bogotá, en la cual se realizó un proceso de investigación y acompañamiento que permitió la recopilación de información primaria a través de visitas al entorno interno y externo de dicha institución. Por medio de entrevistas realizadas a la señora Marisol Rincón, en su calidad de fundadora y presidente, se logró identificar las limitantes de conocimiento sobre temas administrativos y contables, elementos necesarios para ejecutar procesos de planeación y seguimiento que permitiera un …

Social Support: Who And What Types Matter For Early Adolescents’ Life Satisfaction, Kimberly G. Sitter

Theses and Dissertations

Trends in current psychological research suggest an increasing interest in indicators of well-being in youth, such as life satisfaction (LS). Studies indicate a strong association between LS and social support from different sources within an early adolescent’s social network. However, the unique contributions of specific types of supportive behaviors (within sources of social support) as they relate to development of early adolescent global LS have been largely overlooked. The current study sought to examine the unique contributions of social support types (emotional, appraisal, informational, instrumental) within three sources of support (parent, teacher, peer) to global LS in a sample of …

“What I Hadn’T Realized Is How Difficult It Is, You Know?”: Examining The Protective Factors And Barriers To Breastfeeding In The Uk, Cheyenne R. Wagi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The international recommendation for breastfeeding is that a baby should be exclusively breastfed for six months. Breastfeeding should be continued for up to two years and beyond with complementary foods (WHO, 2016). The United Kingdom exhibits some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world (HSCIC, 2012). The percentage of mothers who breastfed in the United Kingdom falls below 34% at six months, with only 1% of mothers breastfeeding exclusively at this point (HSCIC, 2012:31). This study sought to examine the protective factors and barriers for breastfeeding in the UK. Mums (n=28), their partners (n=6), and facilitators at breastfeeding support …

The Role Of Social Support In Predicting Depression And Task Overload Among College Students, James M, Duncan, Mallory Lucier-Greer, Anthony J. Ferraro, Kayla Reed-Fitzke

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Guided by the Relationships Motivation Theory, this short-term longitudinal study examined associations between social support (i.e., relatedness), depression, and stress in the form of task overload among emerging adult, university students (N = 184 at time one; N = 105 at time two; 69.2% female). Results from a series of path models indicated a significant relationship between decreased perceptions of social support over time and an increase in perceived task overload with significant mediating effects through depressive symptomology. Implications for counseling services as well as intervention and awareness points for university professionals are discussed.

Strategies Employed By Community-Based Service Providers To Address Hiv-Associated Neurocognitive Challenges: A Qualitative Study, Renato M. Liboro, Sean B. Rourke, Francisco Ibanez-Carrasco, Andrew Easton, Daniel Pugh, Claudia Medina, Allan Rae, Paul A. Shuper, Lori E. Ross

Psychology Faculty Research

Background: HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders and other causes of neurocognitive challenges experienced by people living with HIV (PLWH) persist as public health concerns in developed countries. Consequently, PLWH who experience neurocognitive challenges increasingly require social support and mental health services from community-based providers in the HIV sector. Methods: Thirty-three providers from 22 AIDS service organizations across Ontario, Canada, were interviewed to determine the strategies they used to support PLWH experiencing neurocognitive difficulties. Thematic analysis was conducted to determine key themes from the interview data. Results: Three types of strategies were identified: (a) intrapersonal, (b) interpersonal, and (c) organizational. Intrapersonal strategies involved …

Cultural Distance, Acculturative Stress, Social Support, And Psychological Adaptation Of International Students, Ariel Mitchell Ladum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

International students experience stress and adaptation difficulties as they study in a new culture. This study examined how cultural distance, acculturative stress, and social support interacted to influence positive and negative emotional responses among international students in the northern part of Cyprus. Acculturation models and the stress-buffering hypothesis served as theoretical frameworks. The 2 research questions involved understanding whether international students experienced more negative emotional responses compared to students from the home culture and whether social support moderated acculturative stress and reactions to being in the northern part of Cyprus. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine differences …

Exploring The Buffering Effects Of Holding Behaviors On The Negative Consequences Of Workplace Discrimination For People Of Color, Heather A. Kohlman Olsen

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

Previous research suggests that discrimination is still a prevalent problem within organizations even with the current laws and policies in place in the United States to ensure equality of opportunity for minority groups. Therefore, people of color continue to report experiencing inequality and exclusion in the workplace. The broad purpose of the current investigation is to provide guidance to organizations regarding proactive strategies for mollifying the deleterious consequences that people of color often experience as a result of enduring numerous incidences of subtle discrimination in the workplace. Specifically, I proposed that when people of color report having trusting, supportive relationships …

The Impact Of Social And Cognitive Variables On Communication Competence, Griffin Cheek

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

College students are increasingly engaged in watching online videos and using social media. Therefore, researchers should attempt to better understand how these variables as well as other social and cognitive variables, affect the communication competence of students. The researcher administered a questionnaire to 392 college students from a private medium-sized West Coast university using various modified scales examining student-to-student confirmation, social support through social media, online video viewing, self-esteem, personal reports of public speaking anxiety, and communication competence. Student-to-student confirmation and online video viewing were measured using new sets of scales developed by the researcher. The data from the surveys …

Predictors Of Behavioral Health Among Firefighters In Their Third Year Of Fire Service, Victoria Alicia Torres

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Employee turnover is expensive, as job training can cost upwards of 30% of an employee’s annual salary (not including additional onboarding expenses; Boushey & Glynn, 2012). This is especially true among high stress, dangerous occupations that require specialized training such as firefighters (Envisage Technologies, 2016; Knoll, 2011; Patterson et al., 2010). Health status is a primary reason for job concerns that may lead to decline in job performance and employment separation (Hourani, Williams, & Kress, 2006; Virtanen, Kivimäki, Vahtera, Elovainio, Sund, Virtanen, & Ferrie, 2006). Two research areas that support this notion include literature on the biopsychosocial model and occupational …

Association Of Social Support And Patient-Provider Communication And Medication Adherence, Laquasha Arenese Gaddis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of hypertension in African Americans is the highest of any population in the United States, and this population also demonstrates lower rates of adherence to mediation. Social support and patient-provider communication have been considered as reinforcing factors to help hypertensive patients achieve optimal blood pressure control. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of social support and patient-provider communication and medication adherence for hypertensive African American men and women. The study was guided by the theory of reasoned action. This study was conducted to determine whether social support and patient-provider communication was associated with medication …

Impact Of Social Support During A Social Interaction On Post-Trauma Cognitions And Outcomes During A Trauma Analogue Design, Christy Elizabeth Allen

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This study utilized the trauma film paradigm to explore interpersonal processes in post-trauma social interactions and their relation to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms within the framework of social-cognitive theory. Social support following a traumatic experience has been consistently linked with posttraumatic outcomes and PTSD symptoms, yet the exact mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unconfirmed. One theory is that when trauma survivors emotionally and cognitively process the traumatic experience within positive supportive conversations, these conversations can result in fewer negative posttraumatic cognitions, beliefs, and appraisals that have been linked to symptoms of PTSD. Likewise, negative support can create and reinforce …

Depression With Peripartum Onset (Postpartum) And Mother’S Perceptions Of Social Support And Self-Efficacy For Parenting, Shenetha Carmise Ramsey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression with peripartum onset, which was previously called maternal depression, or postpartum depression, is common among many pregnant women. The condition increases impairment in maintaining relationships, self-esteem, and parenting skills. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore how mothers who have experienced peripartum onset (postpartum) depression perceive their social support and their ability to parent effectively. The conceptual framework was based on Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. Convenience and snowball sampling were both used to obtain 6 research participants who were interviewed face-to-face or by telephone. Participants shared their experiences with depression, perceptions of social support, and how …

The Role Of Online Support For Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Patients And Survivors, Bevin J. Nixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rate of thyroid cancer diagnosis has risen, and researchers' findings point to improved diagnostic testing and overdiagnosis as well as increases in actual incidences as the reasons behind this rise. With improved treatments and testing methods, the number of thyroid cancer survivors has also increased. Thyroid cancer presents challenges to coping and can cause significant stress in an individual's life. More specifically, anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) creates complicated challenges for patients and survivors. The problem is patients need support during diagnosis and treatment when adjusting to their 'new normal' and may be reaching to Internet based social support groups …

Parenting Practices Among Two-Parent, African American Families Of Preteen Children, Ryan O'Neal Drakes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Positive parenting promotes children's proper cognitive and personality development and supports high academic performance and achievement. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between social support and positive parenting practices among two-parent, African American families of preteens. This study was based on Baumrind's model of parenting behaviors. Survey and correlation methods were used to gather data from a convenience sample of 103 2-parent, African American families with preteens (aged 9-11 years) from different income neighborhoods in a Northeastern metropolitan region of the United States. Logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted. According to study findings, social …

Social Support, Discrimination, And Self-Esteem In Lgbtq+ High School And Post-Secondary Students, Kirstie Taylor

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus) people are at a disadvantage compared to their heterosexual and cisgender (non-transgender) counterparts. LGBTQ+ people are likely to be discriminated against based on their gender or sexual identities. Drawing on data from the OutLook Study in Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada, this paper examines discrimination and social support among high school and post-secondary students, and how they are related to self-esteem. Using t-tests, we found that transgender students in high school reported significantly higher levels of direct transphobia and of victimization compared to transgender post-secondary students. Using multiple linear regressions, we found indirect homophobia …