Other Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of Strain And Drug Combinations On Ketamine's Locomotor Activating Effects In Rats, Caroline K. Flagler

Theses and Dissertations

Rationale: Initially developed as an anesthetic, ketamine is now used to treat a variety of disorders, including treatment resistant depression (TRD). While ketamine appears to be a breakthrough therapy for TRD, it has many use-limiting side effects, including abuse liability, psychotomimetic effects, and sedation. Utilizing ketamine in combination with other medications, such as the monoaminergic antidepressant desipramine (DSP), opioid antagonist naltrexone (NTX), and the NMDA receptor partial agonist D-cycloserine (DCS) may reduce side-effects resulting from ketamine therapy.

Objectives: The goal of this project was to study ketamine’s adverse effects using locomotor activation in an open field as a behavioral correlate …

Family-Based Support As Social Determinants Of Health Protective Factor On Depression Of Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Bisola E. Duyile

Theses and Dissertations

All parents experience challenges in their caregiving roles (Barańczuk & Pisula, 2020). However, parents raising a child/children with disabilities experience different social barriers (Oliver, 1996) that may also contribute to additional stressors in their caregiving role (Tomeny, 2016). Although these parents, on average, have reported greater symptoms of depression than parents of typically developing children, research shows that parents who reported receiving social support had lower symptoms of depression and stress (Das et al., 2017; Singh et al., 2017). Through the social determinants of health (SDOH) framework (ODPHP, 2022), the present study investigated informal/family-based support and its protective impact on …

Behavioral Skills Training For Reducing Challenging Behaviors In Students With Down Syndrome With Or Without Co-Occurring Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jacqueline Tudor

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to improve the effectiveness of professional educators in using the methodology of functional behavior assessment (FBA) and function assessment-based intervention (FABI) to reduce challenging behaviors exhibited by students with Down syndrome (DS), or a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism spectrum disorder (DS-ASD). Educators often rely on traditional classroom management methods which curtail disruptive behaviors without determining the reason why the behavior is occurring. The study examined the effects of utilizing a behavioral skills training program of instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback in the methodology of FBA and FABI.

The research was conducted using …

How And With Whom You Spend Your Time Matters: An Examination Of Familial Relationships, Leisure Activities, And Dementia Development, Erika Cooksey Mcdaniel

Theses and Dissertations

Dementia is an interminable disorder characterized by a decrease in cognitive functioning behavioral and emotional changes, and an overall diminishment in quality of life that usually affects the older population. In the coming decades, scientists estimate that the number of sufferers will reach over 100 million worldwide. Though there is currently no cure for any form of dementia, the theory of cognitive reserve posits certain lifestyle characteristics (i.e., educational attainment, SES, and/or career path) can mitigate the risk of dementia by improving cognitive resilience over an individual’s lifetime. The current study sought to discover what, if any, effects familial relationships, …

The Intersection Of Social Stress, Mental Well-Being, And Sexual Health Among Black Women In Emerging Adulthood, Brandi Galloway

Theses and Dissertations

With an estimated 37,000 new HIV infections each year, HIV continues to be a major public health concern. HIV affects some populations more than others. Young Black women, in particular, are disproportionately affected by HIV. While being a woman does not typically increase a person’s HIV risk, being Black and being a woman does.

Data indicate that individual-level factors do not fully address the differences in HIV and STIs between Black emerging adult women and their White counterparts. Thus, it is critical to better understand contextual factors such as social stress and mental-wellbeing which might better account for these disparities. …

Relationship Of Demographic Characteristics Of Occupational And Physical Therapists Towards Their Knowledge And Attitude On Person-Centered Care In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Sadashiv R. Aggarwal

Theses and Dissertations

The study aimed to assess the relationship of specific demographic characteristics of occupational (OTs) and physical therapists (PTs) with their knowledge and attitudes towards principles of Person-Centered Care (PCC) in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The study further examined if knowledge and/or attitudinal differences exist between OTs and PTs towards PCC. The proposed descriptive study used the Person-Centered Care theory, which is a holistic (bio-psychosocial-spiritual) health care delivery approach. PCC delivers services that are respectful and individualized, allowing negotiation of care, and offering choice through a therapeutic relationship where persons receiving care are empowered to be involved in health decisions at …

Education Support For Foster Care Youth: The Impact Of Federal Spending On Employment Outcomes, Carlisle C. Bates

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the extent to which supportive services funded through the federal John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCP) are associated with academic success and employment in foster care youth. Studies suggest that this group experiences poorer employment outcomes (Gypen, Vanderfaeillie, De Maeyer, Belenger, & Van Holen, 2017; Okpych & Courtney, 2014) and earn less money annually (Gypen et al., 2017; Okpych & Courtney, 2014; Pecora, 2012). Despite a 29.4-billion-dollar annual budget for foster care services, individuals with a foster care history struggle after they transition out of care.

The CFCP is intended to help states improve education …

Aesthetic Perception Of Urban Spaces: New York, Timur Pozhidaev

Theses and Dissertations

Aesthetic perception is an important field of interest in many aspects of everyday human life. It affects individual and social unconscious behavior and is strongly related to the decision-making processes in the human mind. The current study can serve as an important prototype for planning purposes and social and environmental justice among the regional units of New York City. With the current scientific sphere lacking a comprehensive methodology for assessing social superstructure, an aesthetic framework has the potential for success in evaluating the aspects of sustainable and resilient urban development.

Ageism Among Healthcare Professionals: The Influence Of Personal Aging Anxiety, Job Role, And Work Setting On Attitudes Toward Older Patients, Jennifer L. K. Inker

Theses and Dissertations

Older adults make up a significant and increasing proportion of the U.S. population and are frequent users of healthcare services. Ageism in healthcare, driven by an incomplete and narrowly biomedical perspective on aging, has been linked to various problematic outcomes for older patients, including under- and over-treatment. The purpose of this study was to use the theory of relational ageism to explore the relationship between personal aging anxiety among healthcare professionals and their attitudes to older patients, considering the potentially moderating factors of job role and work setting. Using convenience sampling, clinical healthcare professionals working for a mid-sized, regional healthcare …

Investigating Attachment Behavior In Shelter Dogs, Anamarie Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a modified Strange Situation Test to investigate attachment behavior of shelter dogs to an experimental owner and a stranger observing physical contact and location. No difference was seen in physical contact but a small difference was seen in location.

Does Permissiveness Mediate The Relationship Between Sexual Identity Exploration And Sexual Behavior?, Kailani Capote

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual identity exploration and permissive attitudes about sex increase emerging adults' sexual behaviors. This study surveyed (N=301) 18-29 year-olds’ sexual attitudes and anal/ vaginal sex acts. Findings support that permissiveness accounts for some of the relationship between sexual identity exploration and sex acts but did not show a mediation effect.

Electronic Cigarette User Plasma Nicotine Concentration And Puff Topography: Influence Of Liquid Nicotine Concentration And User Experience, Marzena M. Hiler

Theses and Dissertations

Electronic cigarettes (ECIGs) aerosolize an often nicotine-containing solution for user inhalation. ECIG nicotine delivery may depend on liquid nicotine concentration and user puffing behavior (topography). This study examined the relationship among liquid nicotine concentration, puff topography, and plasma nicotine concentration. Thirty-three ECIG-experienced and 31 ECIG-naïve individuals completed four laboratory sessions that differed by ECIG liquid nicotine concentration (0, 8, 18, or 36 mg/ml). A 3.3 volt “eGo” ECIG battery attached to a 1.5 Ohm dual coil “cartomizer” filled with 1 ml of 70% propylene glycol/30% vegetable glycerin nicotine liquid was used in two ECIG-bouts (10 puffs; 30 s IPI). Plasma …

Cancer Health Literacy And Hospitalization In The First Five Years Following A Cancer Diagnosis, Laura A. Cartwright

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: The field of health literacy research has been focused recently on developing more accurate measurement tools and understanding the relationship between health literacy and health outcomes. Individuals with lower levels of health literacy have worse health outcomes, including hospitalization rates, compared to those with adequate health literacy. This relationship has yet to be examined in the cancer patient population, although significant relationships between health literacy and cancer knowledge, screening behavior and quality of life have been found. This study is the first to examine the relationship between health literacy and hospitalization rates in a cancer patient population, and the …

Motives For Participation In Triathlons Among Midlife To Older Black Women: A Mixed Method Study, Candace Brown

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Research has established the positive link between physical activity and its impact on health among adults. Generally, as people get older, they are less likely to be active. Black women comprise 13% of the women in the US but constitute 52% of women who are inactive. Existing articles on exercise motivation among Black women have generally assessed sedentary individuals. Little research has examined the motivations to exercise among physically active Black women. METHODS: Guided by the regulators of the Self Determination Theory, the 56 item Motivations of Marathoners Scales for Triathletes (MOMS-T) was used to assess the motives of …