Sociology Commons^™

Does Inclusion Really Mean Included?, Nicole M. Aldrich

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Classroom inclusion is currently one of the most debated issues in education. The debate is whether inclusion serves as the most appropriate way to provide education for students with disabilities. According to Heyne et al. (2012) social interactions are important to an individual, however, throughout an inclusion classroom environment social inclusion might not always be found amongst children with disabilities and their peers. Throughout the course of eight months I collected observations in a preschool inclusion classroom where one student has a one-to-one aide present at all times. This study examines this child’s degree of social inclusion amongst peers. Findings …

The Effect Of Sleep Quality And High Intensity Physical Activity On Inflammation And Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors In College Students, Catherine Abraham

Honors Scholar Theses

Background: Inflammation is the common denominator in chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and depression. While adequate physical activity and optimal sleep quality may help maintain normal inflammation levels, evidence is somewhat conflicting. Aim: This cross-sectional observational study aimed to assess how sleep quality and high intensity physical activity associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and inflammatory biomarkers in a sample of young adults (n=106, ages 18-25 years). Methods: Laboratory-based assessments included lifestyle behaviors (sleep quality, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; self-reported frequency/intensity of physical activity; Healthy Behavior Index derived from reported preference for diet and physical activity), CVD risk …

Correlates Of Depressive Symptoms In Adult Survivors Of Childhood Cancer, Melissa Miller

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Purpose: The impact of cancer in childhood among adult survivors needs to be studied to see how being diagnosed with cancer in childhood is associated with mental health in adulthood. Specifically this study will examine depressive symptoms. If there are negative effects such as depressive symptoms, it is important to know what may help reduce them such as support and counseling. Methods: This is a quantitative study where 49 adult survivors of childhood cancer participated in an online survey. They were recruited from forums for cancer survivors and with snowball sampling.

Results: Through correlation analyses and ANCOVA, it was found …

Qualitative Interviews: A Methodological Discussion Of The Interviewer And Respondent Contexts, Shannon M. Oltmann

Information Science Faculty Publications

Interviews are a staple method used in qualitative research. Many authors hold face-to-face interviews to be the gold standard, or the assumed best mode in which to conduct interviews. However, a large number of research projects are based on conducting interviews via telephone. While some scholars have addressed the advantages and disadvantages of using telephones to conduct interviews, this work is scattered across multiple disciplines and lacks a cohesive, comprehensive framework. The current article seeks to rectify this gap in the literature, by explicitly developing the constructs of the interviewer context and the respondent context. By examining key components in …

A Cross-Sectional And Mixed-Method Assessment Of Safety Culture And Safety Climate At A Regional Airline, Micah S. Walala

Open Access Dissertations

The researcher applied a mixed methods approach to conduct a cross-sectional assessment of the safety culture, safety climate, and SMS at a regional airline in the United States. Data collection techniques were comprised of interview, on-line-survey, and a focus group activity. Participants in the current study were maintenance technicians, flight attendants, dispatchers, pilots, and managers. Results indicated significant differences of perception of safety climate, safety culture, and Safety Management System between the maintenance technicians and flight attendants. The length of time a participant had worked at the subject airline and age of the participant appeared to be significant factors of …

The Relationship Between Adolescent Sense Of Purpose, Poster Quality, And Intentional Self-Regulation, Lauren Nazareth Gama

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This paper investigates the relationship between sense of purpose, the quality of work related to a youth character education (CE) program, and intentional self-regulation (ISR) for adolescents participating in the Inspire>Aspire: Global Citizens in the Making (I>A) Values Poster program. Relational developmental systems (RDS) meta-theory posits that individuals have the capacity to shape their own development and that positive development can be reached when individual assets are aligned with assets in the environment (Lerner, Lerner, von Eye, Bowers, & Lewin-Bizan, 2011). This agentic control over development is often referred to as ISR, which can be operationalized by the …

College Students' Attitude Toward Single Mothers In Poverty, Rocco Placenti

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Poverty in the United States is a huge problem, and it becomes bigger each year, as millions of single mothers are the ones who are suffering the most. The debate on how to solve poverty has continued for a very long time. It has been fixed temporarily, but not completely remedied.

Literature: Attitudes are forecasters of how and why individuals take action in specific ways. Some people believe in social attributions (e.g., societal responsibility); others have confidence in individualistic attributions (e.g., a single person’s responsibility); and others rely on fatalistic attributions (e.g., luck). Individuals’ attitudes towards single mothers in poverty …

Intersectionality In Queer Activism: A Case Study, Haley Adams

Undergraduate Theses

This paper explores the relationships between intersectionality and queer activism through a case study of the Louisville, Kentucky LGBTQ+ organization The Fairness Campaign. Intersectionality has been increasingly explored by academia, but rarely ventures beyond the “big three” categorical divisions of race, gender, and class; even rarer are studies of the practical application of intersectionality in activism, particularly queer activism. Through analysis of secondary data, I examine the ways in which intersectionality has, consciously or not, played a part in the history of the Fairness Campaign, as well as its role in the future of the organization.

The Efficacy Of A Brief Group Art Therapy Intervention To Address Burnout And Compassion Fatigue In Mental Healthcare Professionals: A Mixed Methods Study, Vicky Greene

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

The purpose of this proposed mixed-methods study was to explore the efficacy of utilizing a brief group art therapy intervention in reducing symptoms of burnout through a one group pretest and posttest design with mental healthcare professionals who work directly with the mentally ill population. Proposed interventions consisted of three two-hour group art therapy sessions over a period of three weeks with mental healthcare workers measured by the ProQOL-5 for Quantitative outcome, measuring compassion satisfaction (the positive) and compassion fatigue (the negative). Qualitative measures would be obtained from participants’ narratives from research questions, responses from resulting artwork, and a semi-structured …

Process Painting With A Woman Diagnosed With Breast Cancer, Jaimee Foster

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

This qualitative single case study examines the reaction of one woman diagnosed with breast cancer as she engages in process painting, while undergoing treatment. Process painting involves the continued alteration of a single image over a period of time, either through painting over or chipping away at the current image. Over a period of six weeks, one woman was invited to engage in this process, in order to examine whether the process would have a positive effect on either the physical or emotional symptoms associated with breast cancer treatment. This study focused on the themes of each session, the participant’s …

Whiteness In Contemporary Feminist Campaigns : Free The Nipple., Laura Patterson

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

No abstract provided.

Abortion, Teen Pregnancy, And Feminism: Finding Women-Centric Solutions For Reproductive Justice, Jessica Faunce

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This two-part project seeks to understand, discuss, and address issues surrounding some of the most contentious debates in the United States: unplanned pregnancy and abortion. The first part of the project looks at the pro-life feminist movement’s agenda and ideals through comprehensive interviews with nine self-proclaimed pro-life feminists. The goal of this research is to gain an understanding of a women-centric opposition to abortion and to reflect on possible solutions that would benefit women and gain support from both pro-life and pro-choice advocates. Taking into account the information gathered through qualitative research on pro-life feminism, the second part of this …

Female Farming Systems, Elizabeth Ransom, Wynne Wright, Carmen Bain

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Female farming systems draws attention to women's (re)productive roles in agriculture, with particular attention to questions of power, equity, and empowerment. Female farming systems as an organizing concept highlights what was a surprisingly neglected field of study until the 1970s and provides insights into the gendered nature of agriculture. In the past and the present the term “farmer” presumes a male identity. Globally, women have often been marginalized from farming by denying them access to the material resources needed for success such as land, labor, and capital. Due to a variety of reasons there is a feminization of agriculture underway, …

"Divest Now!" The Student Divestment Campaign At The University Of Louisville : A Crusade For Equality., Chris Burns

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

No abstract provided.

Relive The Roycroft: Bringing History To Life At A National Landmark, Amizetta J. Haj

Museum Studies Projects

This project defines and validates the concept of the Roycroft Campus as a living museum and explores how the implementation of a “living” component to its educational programming would strengthen visitor engagement. It also focuses on the various ways in which to fortify the utility and visibility of a museum within a community, demonstrating how the Roycroft Campus can become a center for community engagement and cultural development. Through this research, I present the Roycroft Campus’ potential as a living museum and have created an educational based event which will bring to life the year 1915 on the historic Campus …

Educar A Niñas Y Niños De Clase Media En Santiago: Capital Cultural Y Segregación Socioterritorial En La Formación De Mercados Locales De Educación, Joel Stillerman

Peer Reviewed Articles

Many researchers have studied residential and educational segregation processes without considering the relationship between them. This article explores how middle class parents select schools in the municipalities of Ñuñoa and La Florida (Santiago, Chile). Ñuñoa is an upper middle-class municipality with a large number of elite private schools; while La Florida has a newer middle class, a higher poverty rate, and many charter schools. Based on in-depth interviews with 77 parents, this article finds that in Ñuñoa parents choose elite private schools and reject charter or public schools. In contrast, parents in La Florida select charter schools as a way …

Talking About Aphasia: The Two Voices Of Insight, Elizabeth O'Brien

College Honors Program

This thesis aims to understand the lived experience of communication disorders (CDs), including the challenges, stigmas, and misconceptions related to CDs. It draws upon in-depth interviews with speech-language pathologists (SLPs), participant observations of people with aphasia, and observations of aphasia forum websites. During the data collection process, people talked about the stigmas and hardships of CDs and the subjective experience of having trouble communicating with others. This thesis will use their words and ideas to highlight the important aspects of coping with and treating CDs. It discusses how people with aphasia think about space, their body, and time, and considers …

Into The Gap: A Mixed Methods Study Of Acculturation, Stress, And Refugee Family Functioning, Kieu Anh T. Do

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Every day, new waves of refugees result from increasing social, political and environmental instabilities around the world. Numerous studies have detailed the various stressors and adjustment issues that refugees face when resettled in a new host society. The majority of these studies focus on individual-level variables and not on the family as a whole. Thus, more studies are needed to understand how refugee families adjust in the resettlement context in order to promote positive outcomes. Studies that have examined family-level functioning often focus on how acculturative differences increase stress in refugee families, contributing to higher levels of familial tension and …

Changing Public Opinion Towards Lgb Rights: An Analysis Of Data From The American National Election Studies, 1992–2012, Jacob Paul Absalon

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study uses data from several waves of the American National Election Studies (ANES, 1992-2012) to examine changing attitudes regarding civil rights for Lesbian Gay Bisexual (LGB) individuals. Analyses focus on differences in attitudes toward gays and lesbians generally, attitudes regarding non-discrimination protections, and views about integration into military service during this time frame. Generally, this thesis builds on previous research in Sociology and Political Science regarding the role of status attainment characteristics, demographic markers, and ideological preferences to explain long-term trends in public opinion. Specifically, this study extends prior research by analyzing how membership in particular occupational groups has …

Biblioworks: Advocating For The Creation Of Libraries For Children In Chuquisaca, Bolivia, Jhasmany Saavedra

Capstone Collection

During 2015-16, I completed my SIT professional practicum as an intern with BiblioWorks based in the Asheville, North Carolina office. Founded in 2005, the focus of this very small organization has been to provide funding and support for libraries and other educational programs in one part of Bolivia. I am from Bolivia and, prior to my scholarship to study at SIT, had worked with local NGOs. During my on-campus phase, I took a sequence of courses in policy advocacy and thus, along with other assignments, I became BiblioWorks’ US-based resource person working with the Bolivia-based director as the organization began …

Police Use Of Force With The Mentally Ill, Chelsea Moore

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Police officers experience many difficult situations in their line of duty, but two situations stand out as particularly unsettling for police officers: when they interact with people who are (a) under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and when (b) people appear to be suffering from serious mental illness (Kaminski, DiGiovanni, & Downs, 2004). This study explores the impact of these conditions on whether or not police officers resort to using force within a Northwestern metropolitan police department. A set of archival data consisting of force incidents was divided into four subgroups depending on subject (suspect) substance use and mental …

Working As Civic And Patriotic Duty For Consumption: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of American Presidential Inaugural Speeches Since World War Ii, Michelle Leigh Casey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Presidential speeches recycle and reify power to construct notions of citizenship, civic duty, and patriotism (Bostdorff 2003, Bostdorff and O’Rourke 1997, Loseke 2009, Murphy 2003). Previous research shows that Presidents use patriotism and civic duty to promote particular policies (Bostdorff and O’Rourke 1997, Coe et al. 2004) and war (Altheide 2004, Ivie 2005, Bostdorff 2003, Loseke 2009, Murphy 2003). Research also looks at how post-World War II (WWII) political culture and campaigning reflect a consumer society, either through how Presidents use consumption to promote a specific value (Altheide 2004, Bostdorff 2003) or how Presidents themselves symbolize branded commodities (Miller and …

Evaluating The Environmental Effectiveness Of Grassroots Environmental Stewardship Organizations In Maryland, Sarah Close, Dana R. Fisher, William Yagatich, Anya Galli Robertson

Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Faculty Publications

Small organizations that conduct environmental stewardship projects often lack access to the research capacity, funding, or tools needed to evaluate scientifically the environmental effectiveness of the measures they undertake. Still, evaluation of environmental effectiveness, defined here as the implementation of specific local goals, is prudent where projects are carried out with environmental stewardship goals in mind. We propose and test a process for evaluating environmental effectiveness of stewardship programs in a rigorous, yet feasible, approach through analysis of archived documents, program materials, and project inventories, as well as a survey of program participants. Using three franchises of the Watershed Stewards …

Hayat Ağında Kapitalizm: Jason W. Moore Ile Bir Röportaj, Jason W. Moore

Sociology Faculty Scholarship

“Toplum artı doğa” anlayışının yeşil aritmetiğindeki sorun çevre adaleti ve toplumsal adalet, doğada sürdürülebilirlik ve toplumsal sürdürülebilirlik, ekolojik emperyalizm ve normal emperyalizm arasında yaptığımız garip ayrım. Emperyalizmin tarihini bilen herkes bilir ki aslında her şey “Neye değer veriyoruz?” ve “Toplumun hangi kesimine değer veriyoruz?” sorularıyla ilgili.

Judicial Differences In Protective Orders Issuance Rates: An Examination Of Courtroom Actors, Case Aspects, And Individual Characteristics, Elena Alexandra Bejinariu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Using a mixed methods approach, this study examines whether: (1) courtroom actors (i.e., presence of legal counsel, translator, victim advocate, or informal support person; and presiding judge), (2) case aspects (i.e., abuse mentioned, type of abuse mentioned; weapon mentioned; children mentioned; and session time), and (3) individual characteristics (i.e., presence of applicant and/or adverse party; and race and gender of applicant and adverse party) influence an applicant’s likelihood of being granted a civil protective order and the length of time it is granted for. Several types of analytic methods were conducted (i.e., bivariate analyses, logistic regression analyses, and sets of …

Nation Branding, Nirmalya Kumar, Jan-Benedict E.M. Steenkamp

Asian Management Insights

Emerging nations need national champions, and national champions need strong support from the state.

Achieving Excellence In Strategy Execution Through Some Uncommon Practices, Robin Speculand

Asian Management Insights

When good strategies fail in execution, it’s time to consider some uncommon practices.

Hooking Up, Romantic Relationship Self-Efficacy, And Attitudes Toward Marriage, Jacqueline Bible

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This quantitative study sought to describe general and penetrative hookup behavior among college attending emerging adults aged 18-22, and to understand the relationships between hookup behavior, romantic relationship self-efficacy, and intent to marry. Cognitive behavioral theory viewed through a feminist lens grounded the study. The convenience sample consisted of 38 respondents (32 females, 6 males) from a midsized northeastern university. Respondents were asked to answer an online survey that asked about hookup behaviors, partner types, emotional experiences, feelings of romantic relationship self-efficacy, and intent to marry. Frequencies revealed that respondents prefer to engage in hookups with partners they know and …

Bleeding Keaney Blue: An Analysis Of Sports Fandom And The Supporters Of Uri Basketball, Lia M. Moceri

Senior Honors Projects

In the United States, sports are so prevalent on the national, state, and local level that researchers assert they have become a major component of everyday life. In fact, millions of Americans consider themselves sports fans. Studying sports fandom offers an interesting insight into the human condition.

This paper begins by looking at sports fans on a psychological level by examining socialization, the process of becoming a sports fan. It also examines the reasons people become fans and the degree to which people identify as a fan. An important psychological aspect when studying sports fans is identity and how a …

Predicting Depression In Older Adults: Community Vs. Nursing Home, Hannah Vitello, Skye Leedahl

Senior Honors Projects

With the population of the United States slowly growing older, the issues surrounding long-term services and supports (LTSS) will become more prevalent. Little research has been done comparing older adults living in nursing homes to older adults living in the community, especially regarding mental health and depression. Depression is a mental illness that affects people emotionally and physically, as well as mentally, which can lead easily into other health complications in the older adult population. This study seeks to determine if factors such as demographics, health, social interaction, and family relationships affect mental health in nursing home residents differently than …