Social Justice Commons^™

Chronic Stressors, Obesity Pathogenesis, And The Moderating Effect Of Internalized Weight Stigma; A Quantitative, Illinois Study, Karyn Byrne

Dissertations

The obesity epidemic is a ‘wicked’ problem with a complex web of determinants and outcomes. While generally higher for minoritized populations, prevalence rates manifest in surprising, nonlinear patterns. There is no consensus regarding treatment protocols or mitigation efforts, except that current efforts remain largely ineffective. Much research evidence that a profusion of determinants of health support obesity pathogenesis through various physiological processes and mechanisms, including the allostatic load, mitochondria functioning, the gut microbiome, and epigenetics. Intervening to support markers of the allostatic load (immunity, inflammation, and metabolic health) may provide a more effective treatment outcomes than traditional approaches, which tend …

An Exploration Of The Contributions Of Parenting Styles And Peer Relationships On The Emotional Expression Of Second-Generation Indian-Americans, Smitha M. Kashi

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation used a qualitative analysis methodology to study the contributions of parenting styles and peer relationships on the emotional expressivity of second generation Asian Indian-Americans. Seven participants participated in a 60 - 90 minute long semi-structured interview and the content was analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Most previous research regarding this topic has been conducted on White American or European individuals and does not take into consideration the many intersectionalities that second-generation Indian-Americans hold. Many participants discussed the lack of direction they experienced in regards to learning about their emotions and disclosed that college and young adulthood provided …

An Exploration Of Adult Children’S Attachment To Their Parents Across Two Cultural Groups: Indians In India And Indians Who Immigrated To The United States, Vilasini Meenakshi Arun

Doctoral Dissertations

Typically, attachment theory has been studied and explored with western populations. Individuals seeking mental health treatment within the United States include western and nonwestern cultural groups and research, theories and interventions that apply to diverse populations are necessary. Attachment relationships are often a part of, or reasons for clients to seek therapy either overtly or covertly, thus allowing research on attachment to better inform treatment plans and practice. An attachment relationship between a parent and child can be influenced by several factors and may change over the course of development, but little is known about this process among Indians …

Movin’ On Up: The Lived Experience Of Women Of Color In Leadership And The Supports That Helped Them Make It To The Top, Rozina Kapadia

Dissertations

Purpose: The number of women of color in leadership continues to be significantly lower than the number of men. The lack of opportunity combined with the lack of support results in less women of color in leadership. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of women of color in their roles as leaders in corporate environments with respect to the support (personal supports, organizational supports, cultural supports, and stereotypical supports) received. Specifically, the research examined the stories of female leaders of color to understand how their experiences have supported or hindered their growth in leadership. …

Artistic Expression Of Medical Experiences Of Mothers Of Color: Perspectives Using Art Therapy, Lauren Barrett

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine perspectives of mothers of color living in the US and their experiences in the healthcare system through art therapy. The study aimed to further identify personal narrative experiences of mothers of color navigating the healthcare system, promote individual voices, and acknowledge disparities impacting those within marginalized communities. The participants in this study included a total of eight identified mothers of color (non-White) living in the US. Participants took part in four weeks of consecutive art therapy sessions either in 60-minute group or individual virtual meetings. One art therapy directive was provided …

Liberation Chronicles: Reformulating Black Liberation In The Face Of Persistent Oppression, Nia P. Gadson

Honors College Theses

Liberation movements for Black people have been prominent throughout American history. Chattel slavery and Jim Crow laws caused centuries of anti-black oppression. They continuously evolved into other anti-black structures – mass incarceration, predatory loan companies, and healthcare inequalities, to name a few – that require us to address these issues still today. The most recent Black liberation movement, Black Lives Matter, experienced a brief uptick in support after George Floyd’s murder but, overall, failed to address these issues. This thesis outlines three approaches to Black liberation in the U.S. to determine the most effective. First, drawing on Frederick Douglass’ autobiographies, …

Speak My Language: Art Therapy Restorative Justice Hybrid For Disenfranchised High School Students, Catherine Day

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Abstract

This literature review examines the use of zero tolerance policies and exclusionary practices in schools throughout the United States. The adolescent population is more vulnerable now than ever, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. An increasing number of students are struggling with behavioral misconduct, mental health issues, and suspension/expulsion from school. The research contained in this review explores how zero tolerance policies have contributed to the current state of our education system, behavioral misconduct in schools, student involvement in the juvenile justice system, alternative methods of discipline such as restorative practices and therapeutic interventions like Art Therapy. The current exclusionary …

Neuroqueering Art Therapy: Bringing Neurodivergent Gender Diversity Into The Creative Arts Therapy Room: A Literature Review, Avital Eisen

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Recent research across disciplines has established the significance of the overlap between neurodivergence and gender diversity, a truth long espoused by the community. Acting on this research, some mental health disciplines have begun addressing neurodivergent transgender and gender diverse people as a unified population in their research, but the field of art therapy has not yet followed suit. Theoretical frameworks of intersectionality, queer theory, and disability justice highlight the importance of centering the unique experiences and needs of neurodivergent gender diversity. Using these frameworks, this literature review synthesizes community knowledge with art therapy research on both neurodivergence and gender diversity, …

What Are The Barriers To Seeking Psychotherapy Services Across Different Racial And Ethnic Groups?, Deysee Chavez, Elisa Rodarte

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explored barriers to seeking psychotherapy services across racial and ethnic groups among adults of 18 years of age or older (2) any individual who has considered, sought, or received mental health services (3) residing in Southern California. The surveys consisted of questions from the Barriers to Mental Health Services Scale Revised (BMHSS-R) sub-scales; Help Seeking, Stigma, Knowledge and Fear of Psychotherapy, Belief about Inability to Find a Psychotherapist, and Belief that Depressive Symptoms are Normal. It was hypothesized that Latino individuals face greater barriers when seeking psychotherapy services as compared to other racial groups. This study consisted of …

Child Maltreatment Primary Prevention Methods In The U.S.: A Systematic Review Of Recent Studies, Maria Godoy-Murillo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Child maltreatment remains a widespread issue in the United States of America, (U.S.). Identifying effective methods of preventing child maltreatment is key to reducing the prevalence of this issue. Objective: This systematic review provides an overview of contemporary primary child maltreatment prevention methods in the U.S. to investigate their effectiveness. Methods: Using the OneSearch database, the following keywords were included: (“prevention methods” and “child maltreatment”), (“parental leave” and “child maltreatment”), (“primary prevention” and “child maltreatment”), (WIC and “child maltreatment”), (“home visit” and “child maltreatment”), (“child abuse and neglect” and “primary prevention”), (“affordable housing” and prevention and “child maltreatment”), (“early …

The Disproportionate Impacts Of Certain Factors That Differentiate The Amount Of Mental Health Referrals Of School A Compared To School B, Jesus Barrientos

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explores the relationship between a variety of factors the school of attendance for two schools in the Inland Empire. This research project sought to assess if there are differing rates of exposure to parental substance use, geographical location, diagnosis of anxiety, diagnosis of depression, and exposure to traumatic events based on the high school of attendance. Secondary data was acquired from a school district in the Inland Empire. Fifty assessments from school A and fifty from school B were used; a total of 100 adolescent assessments were used. The adolescent assessment explores the location of living, questions regarding …

Assessing Sustainable Tourism: Insights From Four Regions In Quebec, Yasmine Benbelaid

GSTC Academic Symposium - In conjunction with the GSTC Global Conference Sweden April 23, 2024

This communication proposes to share the outcomes of a comprehensive sustainable tourism diagnosis conducted in four distinct regions of Quebec, namely Monteregie, Mauricie, Lanaudiere, and the Magdalen Islands. The study encompasses a diverse range of 45 tourism enterprises operating across various sectors within the industry. This project represents the results of my postdoctoral internship.

A Responsible Parrhesia? A Review Of The Price Of Secrecy, Sara Tafakori

RadioDoc Review

The Price of Secrecy immerses the listener in stories of individual trauma, of child abuse and rape, yet also draws lessons from them of wider social significance. It includes moments of narrative catharsis, interspersed with repeated reminders that the stories are unfinished and open-ended—that the solutions lie out there, in social action, rather than in the stories themselves. The series also gestures towards structural critique, especially of ‘the legal constraints’ it identifies, yet it places greater importance on changing the wider culture through challenging the culture of secrecy and shame around victims’ stories of rape and abuse. This centrally means …

Voices Beyond Bars: A Qualitative Study Examining Occupational Participation For Formerly Incarcerated Women, Brianna Correia, Mary Smith Otd, Otr/L, Cynthia Simons Rps, Mhps

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project addressed the research question: “What are the systemic, societal, and personal barriers and facilitators to occupational participation and engagement that formerly incarcerated women experience in Texas?” The project aimed to advocate for formerly incarcerated women living in Texas by interviewing and collaborating with them to create an advocacy booklet highlighting their lived experiences. Following USAHS IRB approval, recruitment, and screening, 20 participants engaged in a semi-structured interview via Zoom. Insights on their experience post-incarceration in Texas regarding housing, employment, family, healthcare, and change were explored. The data obtained was analyzed and codes and themes were identified. When …

How Do Differences In Sex Education Alter Perception Of Consent?, Hannah G. Stone

ATU Research Symposium

The following research was conducted to answer the question: how do differences in sex education alter perception of consent? As of 2021, only 7 states and the District of Columbia mandate comprehensive sex education policies that include consent education, and in contrast, 17 states do not mandate comprehensive or non-comprehensive sex education (“Sex and HIV Education” 2021). Because sex education in schools is where a large proportion of young adults receive all of their instruction on sexual topics, it can be inferred that the lack of sex education would constitute a lack of consent education as well (Deluna 2019; “Section …

"'What The Suffering Was Like': Digital Affect In The Act Up Oral History Project, Margaret Sullivan

Remembrance: A Journal of Queer Culture, Information, and Preservation

This article considers The ACT UP Oral History Project as an affective site that renders visible the impact of loss and suffering. Focusing on the archive’s filmic and computer-mediated interviews, and placing both in conversation with memory and queer identity studies, I demonstrate that the Oral History Project, as a discursive space, invites its audience into a felt physical contact with grief, loss, anger, and rage.

Co-Creando Rituales / Co-Creating Rituals To Hold Our Work As Anti-Oppressive Counselors And Researchers, Ana G. Reyes, Alexandria E. Capraro, Mónica Rodríguez Delgado

The Qualitative Report

Counselors and qualitative researchers have the honor of hearing peoples’ stories and thus have a great responsibility to explore and use clinical and research methodologies that are anti-oppressive, liberatory, and healing. Therefore, in 2019 we began a photovoice project alongside seven queer womxn of color (QWoC) that collaboratively explored their experiences of microaggressions in counseling. Through this journey, we recognized that to be fully present with the “co-researchers’” (participants’) narratives and experiences, we needed to remain attuned and grounded. We engaged in what we now call “rituals” before research team meetings to support our work as counselors and anti-oppressive researchers …

Utopia And Openness: Futures Bound By What We Can Imagine [Keynote], Abbey Elder

All Things Open

“What’s the catch?” If you work in any Open space, you have likely heard this rebuttal before. Getting access to open content and being able to reuse, share, and build on that material for your own personal or professional interests? That sounds too good to be true. “We can all access this software? I don’t need to log in?” Yes!

But stopping the discussion there does a disservice to ourselves and the movements that make up the wider Open community. It simplifies our messaging in a way that obscures the histories behind our work and the futures we …

Building Global Labor Solidarity: Where We Are Today (Early 2024), Kim Scipes

Class, Race and Corporate Power

Labor activists have long-been encouraging workers to build international labor solidarity to empower each other and to improve all workers’ lives and well-being going back to before the First International. This tradition, while dismembered by the Cold War between the US and the UK on one hand and the Soviet Union on the other, has been resuscitated since the 1970s, with efforts by activists, scholars, and some workers to build cross-national border solidarity across the globe for workers, an effort that is growing.

This paper details these efforts, dividing the work between 1978-2011 and 2011 to today, listing some of …

Of Race, Racism And Racially Motivated Offences: A Review Of The Hate Crime And Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, Olufemi O. Ilesanmi, Danielle Mckandie

Class, Race and Corporate Power

A relationship of social and legal significance seems to exist between the prohibition of expressions or manifestations of racism and the society’s preservation of racial diversity. To discourage racial prejudice and thereby protect each race, the state must manage its diversity well by legislating against racist hate offences. In Scotland, for example, the government boldly accepted that hate crimes, including racially motivated offences, are a serious problem requiring closer attention. Through its Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, the state resolves to tackle related criminality.

Focusing on the Act, this review examines whether or how race within the …