Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On College Sport Communications, Will Barnhart

Masters Theses

As Artificial Intelligence technology (AI) becomes increasingly accessible, the importance of understanding its impact on peoples’ work lives is also increasing. One field that has received very little attention in relation to this subject is college sport communications. Prior research has focused on AI within the closely related fields of journalism and public relations, but no previous studies have been conducted on AI and college sport communicators specifically. To address that knowledge gap, this study surveyed members of the College Sport Communicators (CSC) on their attitudes toward AI and their usage of such technology. The data analysis showed that while …

Childhood Maltreatment And Social Anxiety In College Students: Examining The Role Of Distress Tolerance, Alexa N. Matthies

Masters Theses

This study examines the relationship between childhood emotional maltreatment and social anxiety, with a focus on the mediating role of distress tolerance. Emotional maltreatment has been linked to numerous adverse psychological outcomes, yet its specific contribution to social anxiety symptoms requires further exploration. Using a sample of 94 participants aged 18 to 24, this research employs validated instruments, including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, to assess the prevalence and impacts of emotional abuse and neglect. Findings reveal significant correlations between emotional abuse, neglect, and elevated social anxiety symptoms. Distress tolerance emerged as a key mediator, partially …

Small Town Voices And Stories: Rural Older Populations And Health Narratives, Wyatt K. Zumbahlen

Masters Theses

Stories play a vital role in our humanity; they help us understand the world around us. As we age, our experiences, along with those of the people around us, shape our perceptions of health and influence our healthcare choices. For older adults, narratives become an essential resource in making healthcare decisions. In rural communities like Coles County, Illinois, these stories are especially important for older adults who are navigating the limited care and services available in the area. This reliance on narratives impacts their willingness to seek care, highlighting the need to recognize the power of stories in empowering older …

Domestic Student Engagement With International Peers: Local Insights, Global Connections, Alissa Sutton

Masters Theses

As competition to recruit international students grows, institutions must prioritize fostering a sense of belonging that supports their retention and success. Central to this is the quality of interactions between international and domestic students, which shape both groups’ social and academic experiences. This study examines the barriers and facilitators influencing domestic students’ engagement with international peers and the role of institutional support in promoting meaningful cross-cultural connections. Findings reveal that domestic students recognize the importance of engaging with international peers but they often encounter challenges such as lack of awareness, uncertainty about how to connect, and limited institutional opportunities. Support …

Burnout And Job Satisfaction In Practicing School Psychologists, Cole Westmoreland

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify the primary variables associated with burnout among practicing Midwest school psychologists. More specifically, the purpose was to determine if the same variables that correlated highly with Illinois school psychologists’ burnout levels in a 1994 study by Niebrugge and a 2004 study by Hoffman have held constant over the last two decades. Additionally, the varying roles of school psychologists and how they have impacted burnout and job satisfaction were addressed by identifying differences between ideal and actual role involvement. Survey materials used included the Maslach Burnout Inventory, 4^th edition, a Job Satisfaction …

The Influence Of Family-School Communication On Junior High School Students’ Academic Success, Stephen Junior Amoah

Masters Theses

This study examines the influence of family-school communication on students' academic success in the context of Ghana, with a particular focus on Junior High School (JHS) students. While existing research emphasizes the importance of family involvement in educational outcomes, limited studies explore how family-school communication directly affects academic success in Ghana. By using a mixed-methods approach, the study combines quantitative and qualitative data collection. The quantitative component includes an online survey distributed to JHS graduates, assessing the frequency, impact, methods, and barriers of communication between families and schools, as well as their perceived effect on academic performance. The survey includes …

Showcasing Data With Widgets And Dashboards: Making Analytics Data More Accessible For Alma Users, Mary Tuttle

Library Scholarship

This presentation covers different methods of making data in Alma Analytics more accessible to Alma users. It demonstrates creating visualizations in Alma Analytics and the Data Visualization tool, creating widgets for users' Alma homepages, managing tricky sorting, and adding dynamic action links to Analytics reports and widgets.

Assessing Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Abuse Liability Among People Who Smoke Cigarettes: Impact Of Device Characteristics, Nicotine Flux, And Flavor, Elizabeth Oluwapelumi Ogunleye

Theses and Dissertations

This clinical laboratory study utilizes subjective and behavioral economic measures to assess the abuse liability of own-brand cigarettes and six currently authorized ENDS products, examining how device characteristics, nicotine flux, and liquid flavor influence outcomes among adults who smoke cigarettes. Using a Latin-square-ordered, within-subject design, adults who smoke cigarettes (N = 30; N = 20 preferred menthol cigarettes) attended four clinical sessions: one to evaluate their own-brand cigarette and three to assess six NJOY ENDS products: 2.4% nicotine pods (~58 µg/s; tobacco and menthol flavor), 6% nicotine disposable products (~61-65 µg/s; tobacco and menthol flavor), and 5% nicotine pods (~118-123 …

Examining Multiple Stakeholder Perspectives On The Acceptability Of Pain-Mitigation As A Tool To Manage Needle Fear, Sarah C M Morton

Theses and Dissertations

Needle fear affects up to 63% of the global adult population and is associated with significant fear-based medical care avoidance (e.g., blood donation refusal, vaccine hesitancy, insulin injection adherence). Current behavioral treatments have low acceptance in this population, and often fail to address the experience of pain associated with needle procedures. Despite the existence of evidence-based pain-mitigation for needle procedures, these interventions are not commonly used in clinical settings. The current study used qualitative methods to examine patient and provider perceptions of: 1) current methods of needle fear management, and 2) the acceptability of pain-mitigation as an effective tool to …

Lived Experiences Of School Counselors’ Facilitation Of Small Group Counseling In Public High Schools, Joshua D. Hurley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of school counselors’ facilitation of small group counseling in public high schools. Prior research has shown that high school counselors utilize small group counseling at a lower rate than their elementary school counterparts. Researchers have identified two primary barriers that school counselors face in the implementation of small group counseling in schools to include time and internal fear and anxiety. This study investigated the lived experiences of 11 school counselors in their facilitation of small group counseling in the public high school setting. Through data analysis, three …

“You’Re Only As Good As Your Resources”: Exploring Virginia Police Chiefs’ And Sheriffs’ Decisions As Public Administrators To Engage In Community Collaborations With Domestic And Sexual Violence Agencies, Christine E. Wengloski

Theses and Dissertations

The collaborations between domestic and sexual violence victim-serving agencies (DSVAs) and law enforcement agencies help connect victims of crime to needed services. To maximize the benefits of these victim-serving initiatives in Virginia, it is imperative that victim-serving agencies understand the perceptions and factors that influence the decision-making of law enforcement administrators. In this study, I first present a theoretical framework of Herbert Simon’s Decision-Making Theory as a guide to understanding police chiefs and sheriffs as public administrators. A review of the literature demonstrates gaps in existing scholarship around chiefs’ and sheriffs’ decision-making about domestic and sexual violence victim-serving initiatives. Next, …

Acute Effects Of Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Liquid Nicotine Form And Sweetener Among People Who Use Inhaled Tobacco Products, Mary A. Carrico

Theses and Dissertations

Research on tobacco product standards to limit the abuse liability of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) has primarily focused on nicotine concentration and flavor. Other liquid characteristics, such as protonated nicotine ratio and sweetener additives, are less understood but may serve as regulatory targets. This clinical laboratory study examined the effects of ENDS protonated nicotine ratio and sweetener presence on nicotine delivery, use behavior, and subjective effects.

Thirteen participants completed four sessions that varied by protonated nicotine ratio (0:100 vs. 40:60 freebase to monoprotonated nicotine) and sweetener status (sweetened with 3 mg/mL ethyl maltol vs. unsweetened). Each session included a …

Just Give Me A Reason: Developing A Scale To Explore The Drive For Seeking Provocation, Sydney R. Kavanaugh

Theses and Dissertations

Provocation seeking (PS) is defined as the deliberate choice an individual makes to enter into a situation wherein other people are likely to provoke (e.g., threaten, insult) them towards some type of dispute. Rooted in the broader framework of situation selection, which describes how individuals choose environments that align with their goals and emotional states, PS specifically captures the tendency to seek out contexts likely for conflict. The present studies represent an initial step in investigating the novel concept of PS by identifying commonly endorsed PS behaviors and developing a measure to assess them. Given the lack of existing research …

Psychometric Evaluation: Extending The Reliability And Validity Of The Teacher Attribution Measure For Early Elementary (Tam-Ee), Kerensa R. Nagle

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher attributions of student challenging behavior have the potential to influence teacher-student relationships. However, the literature on teachers’ attributions of challenging behavior is sparse and lacks measurement standardization. This limits the replicability and generalizability of research findings. To determine if teacher attributions of student challenging behaviors influence teacher-student relationships, a measure demonstrating a specific score reliability and validity profile is needed. The present study evaluated the item- and scale-level score reliability and validity of a measure of teacher attribution of student challenging behavior, the Teacher Attribution Measure for Early Elementary (TAM-EE; Nemer, 2019), within a sample of teachers (N …

Improving Telehealth Education And Training: A Needs Assessment Of Healthcare Providers And Trainees, Conor Duffy

Theses and Dissertations

Telehealth utilization has increased dramatically since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are many positive impacts of this shift to telehealth, including increasing access to care and reducing patient burden. However, healthcare providers report several consistent challenges that limit their ability to deliver telehealth, such as effective communication, technological difficulties, and difficulty performing physical examinations. To address these concerns, it is necessary to integrate telehealth education and training into healthcare professional training programs and healthcare systems. While many institutions have implemented telehealth education and training since the start of the pandemic, there is little consistency in the content, duration, …

Housing Quality For Whom? Housing Quality As A Form Of Housing Insecurity And Housing Inequality For Black Women Renters, Jenee Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Housing quality is an often overlooked but critical aspect of housing insecurity that often impacts one’s well-being physically, mentally, and socially. As a compromise for affordable housing, some individuals reside in substandard conditions, often lacking essential safety measures and amenities needed for a comfortable and secure living environment. Consistent with broader patterns of housing disparities, Black women renters are disproportionately affected by housing insecurity and more likely to live in substandard housing. Although previous literature has explored the impact of poor-quality housing and its characteristics, there is a gap in understanding how Black women renters uniquely perceive and experience housing …

Maternal Postpartum Depression And Affect Incongruence: Exploring Early Developmental Pathways To Emotion Dysregulation, Laura E. Boylan

Theses and Dissertations

Emotion dysregulation, or responses to emotions that do not meet the needs of the situational demands or social standards, has been noted as an early risk factor for later psychopathology. Maternal postpartum depression (PPD) has been shown to increase children’s risk of developing maladaptive emotion regulation (ER) strategies. One potential mechanism linking PPD to these outcomes is affect incongruence, or a mismatch between biological and emotional responses to stress. While such incongruence may be adaptive in older individuals who consciously mask their internal stress (e.g., suppressing biological arousal while appearing calms), it may be maladaptive in infants and young children …

In Praise Of Dust, Hasler Gomez-Perez

Theses and Dissertations

A desire path is a physical manifestation of where a system has failed, but also where it has been refused, where a new path has been made. The wake exists in the post, it is not a singular, untethered event, but a subtle double entendre that lives in the post-death, but also in the pre-life—not a liminal limbo, but a superposition of dying and waking.

This collection was assembled and composed over the course of two years as I navigated my practice, myself, and others. Present here are my thoughts, my experiences, and in many ways my beliefs. IN PRAISE …

Building A Culture Of Preparedness: Using Community Emergency Response Teams To Promote Preparedness Behavior, Joseph Faulk

Theses and Dissertations

Communities throughout the nation use the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program to supplement the disaster response after hazard events as well as help build a culture of preparedness. Currently, practitioners and academics have limited knowledge about how CERTs promote enhanced preparedness postures. To address that knowledge gap, 20 CERT program managers were interviewed in this study to improve the general understanding of how CERTs contribute to developing a preparedness culture. The results identify program activities, objectives, and measures. In addition, this study introduces the Preparedness Behavior Change Model and collects feedback on its usefulness, which suggests it has a …

The Paradox Of Value, David Enrique Guarnizo

Theses and Dissertations

The present thesis project examines how, in the United States, and especially in the state of Virginia, archetypes of "wealth," "value," and "identity" have been constructed in relation to land and territory. This analysis explores the tension between the inherent value of life on the land and the economic value that can be derived from it. This tension is exemplified by a theory known as the "paradox of value", also referred to as the "paradox of water and diamonds", which was developed by the renowned Scottish economist and philosopher, Adam Smith. This theoretical framework serves as a fundamental axis for …

You Go, I Will Wait, Rasim Bayramov

Theses and Dissertations

On the other side of the coast, a hand is waiting. On the other side of the shore, someone is waiting for you to come. This space between you and them is an asymptote. The more you wait, the colder the pan is to the hand. But the salt of the sea will cover and warm your hand. There’s much to play with while you wait. The destination is only a promise, a figure disillusioned. Waiting spaces are enchantingly altering

in their premise. A bureaucratic fantasy with no avail and no ending. Systematically accumulated levels of power and control lies …

A Qualitative Exploration Of The Employment Experiences And Coping Strategies Among Transgender Women In Medellín, Colombia., Paola Marcela Roldan

Theses and Dissertations

Transgender individuals face disproportionate employment discrimination, with unemployment rates five times higher than the general population. Despite growing awareness of workplace diversity, transgender women continue to experience systemic barriers to economic security and professional fulfillment. This dissertation examines the employment experiences and coping strategies of transgender women in Medellín, Colombia, a city characterized by both progressive policies and persistent challenges. Using an exploratory-descriptive qualitative design, this study employed reflexive thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 18 transgender women. Two theoretical frameworks—Puwar's "Bodies Out of Place" and Minority Stress Theory—guided the analysis of how transgender women navigate predominantly cisgender employment environments. …

Supervisor Support And Job Satisfaction: The Mediating Roles Of Work-Life Balance And Perceived Employability With Gender As A Moderator, Tori Lomelino

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the relationship between supervisor support and job satisfaction, offering work-life balance and perceived employability as key mechanisms through which this relationship occurs. It also explored gender differences in the relationship between work-life balance and job satisfaction, and perceived employability and job satisfaction. Participants were full-time employees in the U.S, recruited via Prolific, who completed an online survey. While supervisor support was found to have positively influenced job satisfaction through perceived employability, the role of work-life balance was less clear. Interaction effects including gender were not significant. This study highlights the significant role of perceived employability as a …

Introducing Sustainable Development Goals In College Curricula: A Way Forward, Christy Ashley, Jason D. Oliver, Hillary Leonard

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

The commentary proposes a blueprint to help guide curriculum innovations, partnerships, and teaching interventions that incorporate the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) into the curriculum. It suggests the utilization of AACSB’s Societal Impact Canvas with Ancona et al.’s (2007) Leadership Capabilities (Sensemaking, Relating, Visioning, Inventing) to provide a blueprint for mission-aligned SDG integration at a local level. It provides an illustrative example from the University of Rhode Island (USA), where the focus is on the Blue Economy. It aims to provide practical guidance for how a college or university can efficiently organize to gain stakeholder input that helps enhance …

The Martyrdom Of Nadezhda Kurchenko: Soviet Hero Cults And The Spiritual Turn In Late Socialism, Steven E. Harris

History and American Studies Articles

This article argues that the spiritual turn in Soviet atheism under Brezhnev provided a meaningful solution to the problems of producing heroes when self-sacrificing martyrs were losing their appeal. To support this claim, I examine the story of Nadezhda Kurchenko, a nineteen-year-old flight attendant killed by two hijackers on an Aeroflot plane in October 1970. This article traces the heroic and spiritual dynamics of Kurchenko’s martyrdom through her funeral, hagiographies, iconic photograph, and sacred spaces. The spiritual turn enabled the authors of her story to free it from the shadows of wartime youth martyrs and ground it in the conservative …

Is Nuclear Security An International Norm? A Constructivist Account Of How Nuclear Security Shapes State Behavior, Doan Linh Anh

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Since 9/11, nuclear terrorism has been acknowledged to pose a serious threat to global security. In response to this threat, the United Nations Security Council, International Atomic Energy Agency, and nuclear-advanced states such as the US have worked together to develop a global nuclear security regime based on United Nations resolutions, legal conventions, and informal initiatives. However, this regime has been continuously criticized for lacking international standards or, more precisely, an independent nuclear security convention. Although this assertion no doubt holds in comparison with international agreements such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, nuclear security has made …

The Media Framing Of India’S Nuclear Weapons Discourse, Sitakanta Mishra, Hely Desai

International Journal of Nuclear Security

The Indian media has had an immense role in framing public perceptions of nuclear weapons within the Indian subcontinent. Examining the largely nationalistic tone of news coverage helps analyze how the media has shaped India’s idea of its status as a nuclear weapon state. Examining the sociocultural discourse around the bomb, this paper analyzes the major influence that the Indian media has in information distribution and how that influence translates to the formation of the atomic attitudes of the masses. In situating the Indian media’s approach to nuclear weapons at large, this work studied the framing of domestic nuclear weapons …

Transparency, Accountability, And Influence In The International Investment Law System, Jarrod Wong, Jason Yackee

Michigan Journal of International Law

This article offers the first interdisciplinary critique of transparency in international investment law (“IIL”) that draws on transparency-skeptical and accountability scholarship in political science and public administration. Not only has the expansive IIL literature overlooked these disciplines, but much of it fails to define the core concept of transparency. Building on contributions from the fields of administrative law, international relations, and system theory in classic political science, we provide a novel functionalist account of transparency that traces a line from transparency to accountability to influence in the IIL system.

We make three arguments. First, transparency involves access to data that …

In Harmony: The Environmental Lives Of Marianne North, Beatrix Farrand, And Mary Hunter Austin, Willa Frank

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis explores the lives and careers of botanical painter Marianne North, landscape architect Beatrix Farrand, and literary nature writer Mary Hunter Austin to examine the interplay of femininity and the representation of nature in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. All three figures had an approach to environmental representation which was based in field work, knowing a place truly, and a sense of harmony between subject and context of the produced work. This method did not occur because they were women or because it was an inherent feature of their assigned sex. Rather, their socialization in the Anglo-American …

Displaced: Distinguishing Housing Outcomes From Judicial Outcomes In Oregon’S Eviction Cases, Colleen Carroll, Minji Cho, Lisa K. Bates

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

In an eviction case, the tenant’s housing outcome refers to whether the tenant remains in their home (the unit) at the end of the eviction process. At the end of the eviction process, either the tenant remained in the home or was displaced. Unfortunately, housing outcomes are not systematically recorded as part of the eviction process. In some cases, the tenant’s housing outcome is recorded in the case records or court documents, but this is not always consistent. To address this, we developed three categories of housing outcomes—remained, displaced, and undeterminable—to measure the outcomes of eviction cases filed in Multnomah …