Family, Life Course, and Society Commons^™

Predictive Factors Of Determinants Of Health And Services Provided At Adult Day Service Centers, Nardia Anthonalla Aldridge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The National Association of Adult Day Service Centers has suggested that adult day service centers can provide services to meet the complex needs of the older adult and delay nursing home placement. Researchers have yet been able to establish the predictive nature of determinants of health in Adult Day Care Centers (ADSCs). The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between the determinants of health and the presence of therapeutic services and nursing services at ADSCs. The open system theory guided this study. Data sets from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016 Adult Day Services …

Veterans' Perceptions Of Behavioral Health Services For Posttraumatic Stress, Larence Kirby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Behavioral health services exist for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); yet, untreated diagnoses may lead to the risk of compromised behavioral health. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of OEF/OIF veterans regarding their decision to seek and retain behavioral health services for addressing PTSD. The research focus and questions were employed through the theoretical concepts of Heidegger’s hermeneutic phenomenological theory, Heider’s attribution theory, and Beck’s cognitive behavioral theory. In-person interviews were conducted to collect data from 8 OEF/OIF veterans who had encounters with behavioral …

Systematic Review Of Falls Among Older Individuals In The Long- Term Care Settings, Nonyelum Patience Odenigbo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Falls are common in the older population and can result in disability, increased dependence, or mortality. Falls have received increased attention in the literature as the most common cause of injuries among older individuals. The incidence of falls in the older population has a positive correlation with adverse health issues necessitating major lifestyle adjustments. The problem is magnified for older patients in long-term care settings where they are 3 times more susceptible to falls. The purpose of this project study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature to understand the impact and incidence of fall rates among older …

Improving Effective Pain Assessment And Management In Elderly Patients, Omotola A. Adebayo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inadequate management of pain is common in the elderly, and the negative implications are often profound. Untreated pain has been associated with negative consequences such as depression, anxiety, sleep disruption, weight loss, and limitations in the performance of daily activities and functions. The purpose of this educational project was to improve the assessment and management of pain of elderly patients residing in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). The project question examined the effects of staff education on the nursing staff’s knowledge of pain assessment and management. Nonlicensed personnel are at the forefront of providing direct patient care in LTCFs. Knowles’s theory …

Comparison Of Advance Care Planning Interventions And Older Adults’ Advance Directive Completion Rates, Tammy Biehler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the benefits of advance care planning (ACP), only one third of older adults in the United States have completed it. To address this gap, health care organizations are implementing ACP programs to engage older adults in the process. These programs can be delivered in various ways, including 1:1 conversations, classes, and web-based tools. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate which ACP option was associated with highest participation and advance directive (AD) completion rates in older adults. Social cognitive theory provided the framework to understand the impact the ACP environment and personal characteristics’ have on the odds …

Predicting Behavior To Engage In Fall Prevention Practices: The Role Of Interests And Basic Psychological Needs, Jan Fay Kress

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA fall is associated with adverse outcomes that include occupational, physical, cognitive, and psychological decline together with economic and caregiving burden. Despite the continued increase in prevalence of falls globally, most studies address the well-known risk factors of falls but exclude the behavioral risk factors associated with human actions, emotions, and everyday choices. Following the theory of self-determination and person object of interest framework, this quantitative, nonexperimental study was conducted using face-to-face and web surveys to examine the relationship between motivational, relational, and sociodemographic/medical conditions to predict engagement in fall prevention practices in a sample of 75 community dwellers, 65 …

Adult Attachment Functioning Of Former Foster Youth Initially Placed In Early Adolescence, Adrienne Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child attachment has been an area of study among scholars for several decades; however, early adolescent attachment is a specific age period that few scholars have examined, especially pertaining to child welfare where placement is a necessary but forced attachment disruption. The purpose of this nonexperimental study was to examine the likelihood of early adolescent attachment during initial placement and to explore the frequencies of this population securely attaching postplacement based on the added variables of placement setting (foster home/kinship home/group home/institution) and sibling accessibility. Attachment theory was the lens through which to analyze the 83 results received via anonymous …

Beyond Equality And Discrimination, Martha Albertson Fineman

Faculty Articles

The theme of this Article for the SMU Law Review Forum focuses us on the challenges faced by the “economically disadvantaged” in the past decade and in the future. This framing is rooted in a distinction between that conceptual status of equality and the actuality of discrimination and disadvantage. This is the lens through which contemporary legal culture tends to assess the nature and effect of existing laws and determines the necessary direction of reform. As such, this paradigm provides the governing logic for both criticism and justification of the status quo. It is rooted in an understanding of the …

Community Doulas' Impact On Women Of Color With Low Incomes, Emely Matos

Digital Repository: Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence

No abstract provided.

Fp-20-18 Median Age At First Divorce, 2018, Valerie J. Schweizer

National Center for Family and Marriage Research Family Profiles

No abstract provided.

Fp-20-21 Marriage: More Than A Century Of Change, 1900-2018, Valerie J. Schweizer

National Center for Family and Marriage Research Family Profiles

No abstract provided.

The Development Of A Couple Observational Coding System For Computer-Mediated Communication, Martha S. Rackets

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Many romantic couples integrate text and computer-mediated communication (CMC) into their relationship dynamics, both for general relationship maintenance and for complex dynamics such as problem solving and conflict. Romantic couple dynamics are interactional, dynamic, and sequenced in nature, and a common method for studying interactions of this nature is observational analyses. However, no behavioral or observational coding systems exist that are able to capture text-based transactional couple communication. The main purpose of this dissertation was to develop an observational coding system that can be used to assess sequenced computer- mediated, text-based communication that takes place between romantic partners. This process …

“In My Feelings”: Millennial African Americans’ Perception, Understanding, And Experience Of Healthy Romantic Relationships, Chelsea-Alexis Jackson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research is to assess how millennials experience romantic relationships since they are at the prime age and technological advancement of dating. How African American partners in particular, develop concepts of healthy romantic relationships before or negating to say, “I Do”, is still an underexplored area. Using semi-structured interviews, ten respondents who self-identify as predominately dating a different sex, provided narratives exploring the impacts of gendered racialized inequalities. Feelings of having a healthy self, increased discussion about relationship flexibility, and the negotiation of heteronormative gender performances and expectations were overarching themes that emerged from these narratives. My …

The Effects That Family Form And Medical Practices Have On The Willingness Of Consumers To Adopt Entomophagous Practices, Mackenzie Conlon

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

To help reduce amounts of destructive methane produced by livestock, climate activists are advocating for the inclusion of entomophagy in the mindset and culinary choices of Western society. Entomophagy, customary in most regions of the world, is seen as a deviant and disgusting food practice by most Westerners. In order to challenge this perception, producers of insect-based products are changing the appearance and marketability of their commodities. To successfully target markets, they need to determine the ideal household for entomophagy acceptance. My research tests the hypothesis that family form and medical practices affect the willingness of consumers to adopt these …

Fp-20-02 First Divorce Rate In The U.S., 2018, Colette A. Allred, Valerie J. Schweizer

National Center for Family and Marriage Research Family Profiles

No abstract provided.

Fp-20-20 Ten Years Of Change In The U.S. Remarriage Rate, 2008 & 2018, Leslie Reynolds

National Center for Family and Marriage Research Family Profiles

No abstract provided.

Fp-20-01 First Marriage Rate In The U.S., 2018, Valerie J. Schweizer

National Center for Family and Marriage Research Family Profiles

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Of Self-Esteem On Pornography Viewership And Relationship Satisfaction In German Couples, Trenton Mcclure

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

The Relationship of Self-Esteem on Pornography Viewership and Relationship Satisfaction in German Couples. The current study aimed to examine the relationship between husbands’ and wives’ perceptions of self-esteem and relationship satisfaction as mediated through the frequency of pornography viewership at the individual and dyadic level. Using the VSA model, this study utilized the pairfam dataset, which is a nationally representative German sample. Data from 369 participants were analyzed using three structural equation models; a combined male and female anchor model, a male only anchor model, and a female only anchor model. This current study found that males’ and females’ self-esteem …

How Well Do Interviewers Record Responses To Numeric, Interviewer Field-Code, And Open-Ended Narrative Questions In Telephone Surveys?, Jolene Smyth, Kristen M. Olson

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Telephone survey interviewers need to be able to accurately record answers to questions. While straightforward for closed questions, this task can be complicated for open questions. We examine interviewer recording accuracy rates from a national landline random digit dial telephone survey. We find that accuracy rates are over 90% for numeric response and interviewer-code, single-response items but are astonishingly low (49%) for a multiple-answer, nominal, interviewer-code item. Accuracy rates for narrative open questions were around 90% for themes but only about 70% for themes and elaborations. Interviewer behaviors (e.g., probing, feedback) are generally associated with lower accuracy rates. Implications for …

Soldiers To Scientists: Military Service, Gender, And Stem Degree Earning, Christina Steidl, Regina E. Werum, Sela R. Harcey, Jacob Absalon, Alice Millermacphee

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

The authors use 2014–2018 data from the American Community Survey to answer two questions: To what extent is military service associated with higher rates of earning a bachelor’s degree in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field (vs. a non-STEM field)? To what extent is this relationship gendered? The findings suggest that military service is associated with higher odds of completing a STEM degree and that this association is particularly strong for female veterans. Comparison across multiple STEM definitions suggests that military service does not simply channel women into traditionally female-dominated STEM fields. Instead, the findings show the biggest …

Transitions From Telephone Surveys To Self-Administered And Mixed-Mode Surveys: Aapor Task Force Report, Kristen M. Olson, Jolene Smyth, Rachel Horwitz, Scott Keeter, Virginia Lesser, Stephanie Marken, Nancy A. Mathiowetz, Jaki S. Mccarthy, Eileen O'Brien, Jean D. Opsomer, Darby Steiger, David Sterrett, Jennifer Su, Z. Tuba Suzer-Gurtekin, Chintan Turakhia, James Wagner

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Telephone surveys have been a ubiquitous method of collecting survey data, but the environment for telephone surveys is changing. Many surveys are transitioning from telephone to self-administration or combinations of modes for both recruitment and survey administration. Survey organizations are conducting these transitions from telephone to mixed modes with only limited guidance from existing empirical literature and best practices. This article summarizes findings by an AAPOR Task Force on how these transitions have occurred for surveys and research organizations in general. We find that transitions from a telephone to a selfadministered or mixed-mode survey are motivated by a desire to …

A Comparison Of Fully Labeled And Top-Labeled Grid Question Formats, Jolene Smyth, Kristen M. Olson

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

The grid question format is common in mail and web surveys. In this format, a single question stem introduces a set of items, which are listed in rows of a table underneath the question stem. The table’s columns contain the response options, usually only listed at the top, with answer spaces arrayed below and aligned with the items (Dillman et al. 2014).This format is efficient for respondents; they do not have to read the full question stem and full set of response options for every item in the grid. Likewise, it is space efficient for the survey researcher, which reduces …

Competing Forces Of Withdrawal And Disease Avoidance In The Risk Networks Of People Who Inject Drugs, Elspeth Ready, Patrick Habecker, Roberto Abadie, Bilal Khan, K. Dombrowski

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

We analyze a network of needle-sharing ties among 117 people who inject drugs (PWID) in rural Puerto Rico, using exponential random graph modeling to examine whether network members engage in partner restriction to lower their risk of contracting HIV or hepatitis C (HCV), or in informed altruism to prevent others from contracting these infections. Although sharing of used syringes is a significant risk factor for transmission of these diseases among PWID, we find limited evidence for partner restriction or informed altruism in the network of reported needle-sharing ties. We find however that sharing of needles is strongly reciprocal, and individuals …

Contextualizing The Covid-19 Era In Puerto Rico: Compounding Disasters And Parallel Pandemics, Catherine Garcia, Fernando I. Rivera, Marc A. Garcia, Giovani Burgos, María P. Aranda

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Objectives: The COVID-19 outbreak has worsened the ongoing economic crisis in Puerto Rico by creating "parallel pandemics" that exacerbate socioeconomic and health inequalities experienced by its most vulnerable residents. Unfortunately, conditions on the island have been largely overlooked by national media outlets and the mainland U.S. population. Thus, this research report aims to draw attention to the disparate burden multiple and compounding disasters have on older island-dwelling Puerto Rican adults’ health and well-being.

Methods: We characterize the lived experiences of the older population in Puerto Rico by incorporating data from numerous sources and contextualizing the effects of compounding disasters, the …

Prospects And Challenges Of Population Health With Online And Other Big Data In Africa; Understanding The Link To Improving Healthcare Service Delivery, Rowland Edet, Bolarinwa Afolabi

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Big data analytics offers promises to many health care service challenges and can provide answers to many population health issues. Big data is having a positive impact in almost every sphere of life in more advanced world while developing countries are striving to meet up. Even though healthcare systems in the developed world are recording some breakthroughs due to the application of big data, it is important to research the impact of big data in developing regions of the world, such as Africa and identify its peculiar needs. The purpose of this review was to summarize the challenges faced by …

Why Does The Importance Of Education For Health Differ Across The United States?, Blakelee R. Kemp, Jennifer Karas Montez

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

The positive association between educational attainment and adult health (“the gradient”) is stronger in some areas of the United States than in others. Explanations for the geographic pattern have not been rigorously investigated. Grounded in a contextual and life-course perspective, the aim of this study is to assess childhood circumstances (e.g., childhood health, compulsory schooling laws) and adult circumstances (e.g., wealth, lifestyles, economic policies) as potential explanations. Using data on U.S.-born adults aged 50 to 59 years at baseline (n = 13,095) and followed for up to 16 years across the 1998 to 2014 waves of the Health and Retirement …

Are Biological Consequences Of Childhood Exposures Detectable In Telomere Length Decades Later?, Blakelee R. Kemp, Kenneth F. Ferraro

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Negative early-life exposures have been linked to a host of poor adult health outcomes, but are such early exposures associated with cellular senescence decades later? This study uses data from the Health and Retirement Study to examine the association between six childhood exposure domains (e.g., socioeconomic disadvantage, risky parental behavior) and a biomarker of aging, telomere length, among 4,935 respondents. Telomere length is obtained from DNA of cells found in saliva and is measured as the telomere repeat copy number to single gene copy number ratio (T/S). Men who as children were exposed to risky parental …

A New Spin On Gender: How Parents Of Male Baton Twirlers (Un)Do Gender Essentialism, Trenton M. Haltom

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Families and sports are spaces for “doing” and “undoing” gender. The author presents qualitative interviews with 30 American men who recall their parents’ involvement in the gender atypical sport of baton twirling. The author analyzes the data using “doing” and “undoing” gender as well as “hard” and “soft” essentialism frameworks. Mothers are often supportive of their sons’ twirling, contributing to “undoing” gender and relaxing “soft essentialism.” Fathers do not see baton twirling as a normative pathway to manhood or masculinity, thus reinforcing “hard essentialism.” Fathers often take on an absentee role in their sons’ twirling. In rare cases, fathers “do” …

Introduction To Special Issue “Geographies Of Sexualities” [Journal Of Lesbian Studies], Emily Kazyak

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

In this foreword to the special issue “Geographies of Sexualities,” I provide a review of the scholarly discussions about place and sexuality that have occurred in the past 20 years. I highlight five major themes in my synthesis of this scholarship: (1) how narratives about geography and sexuality are co-constitutive; (2) a critical interrogation of these narratives to demonstrate how more nuances exist than these narratives suggest; (3) assessments of the spatial distribution of women in same-sex relationships, comparisons to the spatial distribution of men in same-sex relationships, and analyses of the experiences of women in areas with high concentrations …

Collectivism And Uncertainty Avoidance In Narrative Oral Histories Of Resettled Syrian Refugees, Suzy S. Ismail

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emotional resilience among resettled refugees is an indicator of cultural integration and adaptation into a host country which in turn impacts schools, resettlement agencies, and refugee service organizations in how they can best meet the needs of refugees. The documented decline in emotional resilience among resettled Syrian refugees during the past decade is linked to the problem of cultural value disparities causing a resultant decline in mental health and socioemotional wellbeing. The purpose of this narrative qualitative study was to explore expressions of cultural value dimensions such as collectivism and uncertainty avoidance in oral histories of resettled Syrian refugees. Applying …