Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Barriers To Mental Health Care Among Emerging Adult Women Across Racial, Ethnic, And Lgbtq+ Identities, Tikyla M. Euline

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Emerging adulthood is a developmental period characterized by increasing mental health concerns, yet many young adults do not seek professional psychological services. The present study examined barriers to mental health care among undergraduate women, with particular attention to the intersecting identities of sexual minority status and racial/ethnic minority status. Guided by intersectionality theory, the study investigated whether LGBTQ+ women, women of color, and individuals holding both identities reported greater perceived barriers to treatment, higher levels of medical mistrust and discrimination in healthcare settings, and lower mental health service utilization. Participants included 373 undergraduate women between the ages of 18 and …

Factors Related To Deviant Behavior, Chiara S. Popp

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Understanding the factors that contribute to deviant behavior across the life span remains an important goal in psychology and criminology. Guided by life course theory, the present study examined whether childhood trauma, social connectedness, perceived childhood socioeconomic status, and key life transitions are associated with deviant behavior in adulthood. The purpose of this research was to better understand how early life experiences and social relationships may shape behavioral outcomes later in life. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with adult participants in the United States, aged 18 to 55. Participants completed measures assessing adverse childhood experiences, perceived childhood socioeconomic status, …

Expanding Assessment Of Adverse Childhood Expereneces(Aces) To Include Childhood Disabilties And Medical Trauma., Cassidy E. Chergi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are considered a fair predictor of future physical and mental health outcomes. However, historically, the ACEs framework has not fully incorporated chronic stressors associated with childhood physical disabilities and health conditions. This study proposes an expansion of ACEs to include serious childhood medical issues and events as well as disability-related adversity—such as early experiences of functional limitations, social adversity, and system-wide barriers. This study also explores the correlation between these serious medical issues and disability-related adversity in childhood and psychological issues in early adulthood, including signs of trauma, depression, and anxiety. Understanding these relationships can contribute …

Switching Languages, Switching Personalities: The Socio-Cognitive Implications Of Bilingualism, Hannah F. Stern

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The increasing prevalence of bilingualism worldwide highlights the importance of further research into its impact on socio-cognitive processes. This study examines variations in personality traits, anxiety levels, locus of control, and cognitive load during language switching, utilizing cultural and visual-linguistic priming techniques to explore real-time socio-cognitive shifts across language contexts. A 2×3 mixed-factorial design compared language groups (monolingual vs. bilingual) across three priming conditions (semantic, cultural, and control). 120 participants completed a series of subjective and objective measures, including the Big Five Personality Inventory, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, and Rotter’s I-E Scale in both languages, with controlled language-specific priming conditions …

Individual Differences In Personality Traits And Anthropomorphic Tendencies, Olivia S. Young

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Anthropomorphism is broadly defined as the attribution of human characteristics to nonhuman entities. Those with higher levels of neurodivergent traits, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), may struggle to maintain eye contact with and interpret the emotions of others. Anthropomorphic interaction patterns between both those with and without ASD differ between various entities such as cars, cartoon characters, animals, and humans. Results of this study have implications across domains including human factors, cognitive science, and human-animal interaction. This study employed the use of unique stimuli in combination with various scales to measure personality traits and anthropomorphic tendencies. Participants were asked …

The Implicit Perceptions Of Asian American Adoptees And Their Clinical Implications, Cai Li L. Franckewich

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Asian American adoptees occupy a unique “in-between” space, shaped by societal perceptions of race, culture, and family context. This study examined how family composition and racial pairings influence perceptions of an Asian American adoptee. Undergraduate students completed an online survey in which they were randomly shown one of five images depicting the adoptee with different family compositions, without being told she was adopted. Participants then read a story describing the adoptee experiencing common college stressors, and rated statements on a 7-point Likert scale regarding the adoptee’s well-being, factors influencing her behavior, and behavioral descriptors. Results indicated that participants perceived stronger …

The Relationship Between Heteronormativity, Shame- Proneness, Shame-Withdrawal, And Empathy In College- Aged Men, Megan M. Tang

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Due to rising social discourse regarding “the male loneliness epidemic,” this study aims to examine possible predictors of empathy in cisgender, heterosexual, college-aged males. Empathy promotes prosocial behavior and is necessary for healthy interpersonal interactions, which may be limited in male experiences due to adherence to heteronormative values and lower levels of self-disclosure in men. Shame is more likely to occur when men stray from traditional gender roles, and people are more likely to engage in social withdrawal behaviors when experiencing shame. Shame-proneness has also been shown to inhibit empathetic behavior. This study explores two hypotheses, the first of which …

Honor Of Culture, Gender Socialization And Behavioral Outcomes In College Students, Ana Maria Moreno Henriquez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Honor of culture is a culturally based concept that involves holding a strong defense for  the dignity and reputation on one’s family and self. This thesis focuses on the relationship between this honor of culture and gender socialization in the behavioral outcomes of college students, who are in a highly important learning phase of discovering their identity and independence from familial values. Participants were University of Central Florida (UCF) students who completed an online Qualtrics survey, which included an Honor of Culture Scale (Rodriguez Mosquera et al., 2016), Gender Role Beliefs Scale (Kerr & Holden, 1996), the Short Dark Triad …

The Psychological Effect Of Maternal Separation From A Child During Incarceration: A Survey And Critique Of Risk Needs Assessments, Samantha Yearwood

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines whether frequently used correctional assessment instruments adequately capture the psychological impacts of maternal-child separation among incarcerated women. This research was conducted in response to growing criticisms that traditional risk and needs assessments fail to account for gender-specific experiences, specifically those related to caregiving roles and pregnancy. Using a qualitative analysis content analysis to assess four widely used instruments, the Women’s Risk and Needs Assessment (WRNA), Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions (COMPAS), Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18), and Level of Service Inventory–Revised (LSI-R), the thesis  examines the inclusion of pregnancy-related variables, caregiving responsibilities, and separation-related psychological factors. …

Assessing Physiological Arousal During A Standard Versus Inverted Vigilance Task Using Heart Rate Variability, Taha Riaz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Vigilance tasks require sustained attention over long periods of time while monitoring for rare critical signals. Inverted or reverse vigilance/sustained attention response tasks (SART) may impose greater response-control demands. Although prior studies have compared these tasks behaviorally, there are fewer investigations examining whether they differ in physiological arousal as indexed by heart rate variability (HRV).

Method: Undergraduate students from UCF completed a variation of either the X-CPT (standard vigilance task) or the CPT-3 (inverted/SART) task. Electrocardiogram data was recorded continuously. Data from 40 participants were analyzed. HRV was indexed using frequency domain analysis using the low-frequency to high-frequency ratio …

The Impact Of Social Media Movements On Policy Changes Made In The United States, Michelle Levy Korine

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study focuses on researching the relationship between social media movements and policy changes in the United States. Over the last decade, digital platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and X have become important tools to encourage political involvement. These platforms have led to an increase in public participation, movements to become more popular and to organize protests. Many current studies focus on the social and cultural aspects of online activism, but fewer examine wither these movements lead to the legislative change asked for.

This thesis relies on the question, "To what extent does social media activism contribute to policy change …

Impact Of Father-Daughter Communication And Conflict In Emerging Adulthood, Scarlett E. Gomez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper investigated how father-daughter communication patterns, motives, and conflict styles related to daughters’ perceived satisfaction in their relationship during emerging adulthood. Undergraduate participants were involved in an online survey assessing family communication patterns theory, interpersonal communication motives, conflict resolution styles, and father-daughter satisfaction. Bivariate correlations and mean comparisons were primarily relied on for analysis, with a sample size of one hundred thirty-eight undergraduate participants. Results showed that a more open family communication pattern such as the conversation orientation, was positively associated with daughters’ perceived satisfaction of the relationship. A more obedient-focused environment such as the conformity orientation was negatively …

Financial Hardship And Its Impact On Stress And Anxiety: A Comparative Study Of International And Domestic Students, Vitoria Dias Motta

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Financial hardship is a well-established predictor of stress and anxiety among college students. However, research is limited on how these stressors differentially affect international and domestic students despite their distinct financial and academic limitations. This cross-sectional study investigates whether international students report higher levels of perceived stress, anxiety, academic pressure, and work demands compared to domestic students. Data were collected online from a sample (n = 200) of college undergraduates. Independent samples t-test indicated no statistically significant differences between international and domestic students across all variables, p > .05. Although domestic students reported slightly higher mean levels of stress, …

Investigating The Relationship Between Metacognition And False Feedback, Sarah M. Grillo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Accepting false feedback may lead to performance decreases and skewed confidence. Identifying who is more susceptible to false feedback can help us understand how to prevent performance declines and overconfidence. We believe that individuals with low metacognition may be more susceptible to blindly accepting false feedback because they often rely on external sources of feedback for self-evaluation, whereas high metacognitive individuals may be protected because they often rely on accurate internal judgements for self-evaluation. Feedback is important for successful task execution; it can highlight errors (negative feedback) or successful behaviors (positive feedback) to guide future behavior. Individuals with higher metacognition …

Quantifying Amendment Impact On Microbial Respiration Rate, Qwynn Starrwalker

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Wetlands play a critical role in the global carbon cycle by acting as carbon sinks, where the flooded anaerobic conditions cause slow microbial respiration compared to other soils. Comparatively more carbon is stored in the soil as organic matter than is released as carbon dioxide (CO₂). Making wetland pools of soil organic matter less available to microbes for respiration could reduce overall atmospheric CO₂ and slow global warming. This study examined the effect of kaolinite, goethite, and lime on microbial respiration rates in wetland soils under alternating hydrologic conditions. Homogenized soil from a cypress dome was separated …

Borderline Personality Traits And Their Impact On Facial Ambiguity, Perceived Rejection, And Self-Esteem, Anya Mathur

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The present study examined whether borderline personality disorder (BPD) traits are associated with differences in self-esteem and interpretations of ambiguous facial expressions, as well as how rejection sensitivity relates to these processes. Participants (N = 135) completed measures of BPD traits, rejection sensitivity, and self-esteem, and rated ambiguous facial expressions on perceived emotion, social inclusion, and evaluation. Results indicated that individuals with higher BPD traits reported significantly lower post-task self-esteem and showed a decrease in self-esteem following the task compared to those with lower BPD traits. Contrary to expectations, no significant group differences were found in interpretations of ambiguous facial …

Examining Bias In The Death Qualification Process: Mental Health Attitudes And Support For The Death Penalty, Aliana N. Lemmey

Honors Undergraduate Theses

For an individual to serve on a capital jury, they must first undergo voir dire, a preliminary examination of potential jurors to assess impartiality regarding death penalty use. This process is called death qualification and is carried out so that attorneys can identify and exclude individuals who are unwilling to impose capital punishment (Haney, 1984). Over the last four decades, this selection process has been criticized by researchers and legal scholars for its biasing effects in capital cases (Butler, 2007; Butler & Moran, 2007a; Fitzgerald & Ellsworth, 1984; Haney, 1984; Thompson et al., 1984). Since the 1980s, psychologists have investigated …

"The Guyana Chronicle's" Gender Portrayals When Covering Intimate Partner Violence And Suicide, Raiya Shaw

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Guyana, a geographically South American yet culturally Caribbean country, has the highest suicide rate in the Western hemisphere and has maintained one of the highest suicide rates globally for over a decade. Despite this public health crisis, limited research exists examining the issue. High rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) exist concurrently with the country’s high suicide rates, yet limited research exists examining these issues together. Considering the effect of the media on public perception and belief structures, this reflexive thematic analysis explores how gender is presented in articles regarding IPV and suicide from Guyana’s government-managed newspaper The Guyana Chronicle. …

Creation And Representation: Rhetorical Effectiveness Of Audience Construction Within The Deaf Vlogging Community, Imani Rodriguez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Diverse minority groups use YouTube as a platform to share stories, grow brands, and develop communities online. While previous research has investigated Deaf-focused videos on YouTube, past focus has been on video genres, creator purpose, and how content engages with existing representation and stigma (Hibbard & Fels, 2011; Li et al., 2022; Souza et al., 2023; Martzos et al., 2021; Oliveira et al., 2021; Parton, 2016). There has also been research on how online communities can initiate open conversation for many minority groups that may not be possible due to location, disability, or censorship (Case, 2012).

This research focuses on …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Youtube-Based Dietary Messaging On Type 2 Diabetes For South Asians, Sukhmani K. Dhaliwal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

While South Asians experience a disproportionately high risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), culturally tailored dietary guidance remains limited within healthcare settings. As digital platforms increasingly serve as sources of health information, YouTube has grown as a prominent space for the publishing and consumption of dietary advice. This study examines how diet-related messaging about T2DM is communicated in YouTube videos directed at South Asian populations.

Using qualitative thematic analysis, 21 videos published between 2016 and 2025 by influencers with a wide reach were analyzed. Videos were selected based on relevance to South Asian audiences, focus on dietary management of …

An Analysis Of How Adverse Weather Conditions Impact Concessions Revenue At Live College Sporting Events, Luke V. Eiermann

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Previous literature finds that weather affects consumer behavior, though these findings are conflicting among sports fans. While there have been some studies into weather’s effects on attendance, there has not yet been research into its effects on concessions revenue. This is a topic of interest as adverse weather is increasingly prevalent in consumers’ lives, and learning more about their behavior in response to adverse weather is becoming more important. I performed a fixed effects panel data regression, using weather data sourced from the NOAA and sports and population data sourced from various locations. I did not find significant results for …

The Price Of Labor: The Kafala System And Human Rights Violations, Susana El Souki El Assal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The present research analyzes the Kafala sponsorship system and how it impacts the rights and lives of migrant workers in Middle Eastern and Arab Gulf countries. The Kafala system connects a worker's legal status to their employer, providing companies with significant power over their employees' occupations, movements, and ability to leave the nation. Although some governments as well as businesses maintain that the system promotes economic growth and provides important labor, many studies reveal that it can result in exploitation, such as passport seizure, postponed wages, unsafe working conditions, and reduced freedom. The objective of this study is to understand …

Breaking The Silence: The Intersection Of Neuropsychology, Storytelling, And Mental Health Stigma, Judiene S. Gordon

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis unites the disciplines of neuropsychology and creative writing to explore the complexities of mental health stigma, with a particular focus on substance use. Through a collection of original poems and short fiction, the project seeks to illuminate the lived experiences of individuals affected by these issues and challenge prevailing misconceptions and stereotypes. Drawing on accounts from individuals who have experience with mental illness and substance use, the creative work integrates psychological insight, personal narrative, and authentic voices to foster empathy and understanding. By merging scientific awareness with artistic expression, this thesis aims to humanize often-stigmatized experiences and contribute …

Centralism: Ecuador's Major Constraint Towards Decentralization, Daniel A. Moreira Castañeda

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Centralized governance has predominantly characterized Latin America, with few countries adopting decentralized systems or federalism. This study explores why decentralization and federalism remain uncommon in the region, focusing on Ecuador’s persistent centralist traditions. Despite federalism being proposed as an alternative governance model, its adoption has been limited due to structural constraints and historical legacies. Ecuador’s centralized authority, rooted in its independence, has shaped institutional arrangements and political dynamics over time. Through a comparative analysis of the decentralization process and governance quality in Ecuador, Colombia, and Argentina, the research argues that Ecuador’s ongoing centralist practices stem from historical path dependency. This …

“Mother Earth” Faces Sexism” (The Relationship Between Gender, Sexism, And Politics To Climate Change Recognition), Sierra E. Nichols

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Climate change is a prominent scientific and political issue today. Research has shown women to be uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and subject towards political opinions that can be rooted in sexism. This study aims to draw a correlation between these factors. It provides an overview of the topic of climate change and women’s linkages with the environment through the topic of ecofeminism. It analyzes the topic of sexism and analyzes research surrounding different types of sexism: hostile, benevolent, and modern sexism. It discusses how studies that have categorized climate change as a gendered issue, climate change …

How Religious Priming Affects Morality In Sports, Daniel Prias

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research focuses on filling the hole in existing literature regarding religious priming and how it affects morality in sports. This study examined whether different types of moral priming influenced moral reasoning in undergraduate soccer athletes. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: an external religious prime, an internal religious prime, a secular prime, or a no-prime control group. Moral reasoning was assessed using the Moral Reasoning in Sports Scenarios Questionnaire (MRSSQ), strength of religious faith was measured using the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire (SCSRFQ), and personality traits were assessed using the Mini International Personality …

Symbolic Racism And Punitive Policy Preferences In The First Quarter Of The Twenty-First Century, Anthony T. Fulinello

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Despite the decay in the acceptability of explicit racism brought about by the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, implicit racism may continue to inform individual decision making even into the first quarter of the twenty-first century. Utilizing data from 25 years of the General Social Survey, this study examines how indicators of symbolic racism, a form of implicit racism, impact punitive policy preferences among the general United States population using separate logistic regression models isolating each indicator, plus a full model, for each outcome. Punitive policy preferences were operationalized as support for increased spending on crime prevention …

Situating Australian Youth Work Within The Professions, John Sutcliffe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Youth work in Australia has moved towards greater professionalisation marked by the establishment and strengthening of state and national associations. This evolution is crucial for the development of youth work, although it has not been without its complexities. Historically, debates over the professionalisation of the field have been contested. Proponents have emphasised benefits including standardisation and increased accountability, while critics have expressed concern that bureaucratic processes could undermine the relational, practitioner-led core of youth work. This article moves beyond the ‘should we’ debate to focus on how youth work’s professional identity is evolving and how it fits within the broader …

The Power Of A Picture: Building Visual Depictions Of The Eppm Bolstering Sunscreen Application Motivation, Ansley M. George

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigates visual depictions of efficacy skin cancer health risk messages. Using Witte's Extended Parallel Processing Model (EPPM) and existing literature on fear appeals and visual persuasion as a theoretical framework, the study aims to explore how self and response efficacy imagery impacts individuals' perceptions of health risk messages in the context of skin cancer prevention when emphasizing specific principles of design. Formative research was employed via qualitative photo sorts and participants were exposed to an assortment of images depicting efficacy in the context of skin cancer prevention where they discussed why they felt they were or were not …

The Origins And Expansion Of The Soviet Union’S Military-Industrial Complex, Noah B. Heminger

All Master's Theses

This thesis explores the way in which the “Soviet Military-Industrial Complex” that dominated the Soviet Union’s economy in the latter half of its existence came into existence and what forces caused its expansion. The first force was the ideological and strategic beliefs and assumptions of the leadership and military planners which held that the USSR would always be in existential danger. The second was Stalin’s “Revolution from Above” which broke down the barriers economically and politically that resisted the militarization of politics, economics, and society. And the final force was the stresses of World War II which caused the Soviet …