Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Implementing Music To Increase Elementary Student Focus, Kathryn Garceau

Master's Theses

This action research project used a mixed methods design to address the effect of different types of music on student focus while performing an independent task. Despite its success with memorization, does music work equally as well on student focus? Data was collected over a period of three weeks for 30 minutes each morning for 5 days each week. The music played while students completed the task changed each week. This included lyrical songs during week one, classical music during week two, and instrumental versions of songs students knew the lyrics to during week three. Four behavior markers were observed …

Perspectives On Neurodiversity-Affirming Education For Autistic Children, El Alcalá

Psychology Honors Projects

Rates of autism diagnosis have increased dramatically in recent decades, along with efforts to include disabled students in general education classes. However, there are significant barriers to full educational inclusion for autistic children with all levels of support needs. In Chapter 1 of this project, I review literature on common barriers to educational inclusion for autistic students, as well as the strengths and shortcomings of school-based service delivery models frequently provided in an effort to mitigate these barriers. I then propose an innovative, neurodiversity-affirming model of service delivery for autistic elementary school students in general education classrooms. In Chapter 2, …

Evaluating A Short Duration Relationship And Marriage Education (Rme) Event Across Time And Format: 8 Years Of Learning, Pamela B. Payne, Naomi Brower

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The COVID-19 pandemic changed how short-term relationship and marriage education (RME) reached participants for events such as the Utah Marriage Celebration Conference. This article examines participant-perceived relationship knowledge from an annual marriage conference that began prior to the pandemic and has continued through the disruption (from 2015 through 2022). Results indicate this short-duration marriage conference does improve participant-perceived knowledge across years [t(2381) = 59.84, p = .001]. Further, results indicate that online participants rate their perceived relationship knowledge as higher than in-person participants at both pre [F(1, 2752) = 153.0, p = .001] and post [F(7, 2594) = 25.14, p …

Pilot Evaluation Of Programmatic Elements For First-Generation And Historically Marginalized Doctoral Students And Their Families, Bridget A. Walsh, Sarah Mitchell, Emmanuel Kyeremeh Addai, Matthew Aguirre, Keira Hambrick

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

While research demonstrates that family support is essential for doctoral students, research detailing institutional efforts to involve families is limited. We developed the GAIN Scholars program, consisting of two 3-week-long boot camps for incoming first-generation and historically marginalized doctoral students. Quantitative data were collected from 38 doctoral students in the GAIN Scholars program (n = 22) and the control (n = 16). One key component of this program was family support for doctoral students. Family members (n = 15) were invited to the opening ceremony, a day of programming, and online activities. Pre- and post-test measures indicate participants had a …

Full Issue, Volume 12, Number 1, Donna J. Peterson, Scott Cummings

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

Self-Care Techniques To Decrease Special Education Teacher Burnout, Carrie Frost

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focal topic of my capstone project is special education teacher burnout and how self-care techniques can reduce the likelihood of chronic stress and burnout. The challenges of being a special education teacher include but are not limited to, various disabilities and behaviors, lack of classroom and administration support, and overall management. Research conducted by Emery and Vandenberg (2010) stated that special education teachers often experience burnout, which commonly leads to employee attrition. Burnout and the personal stress that comes with it are the biggest contributors to the shortage of qualified special educators throughout the United States. Their challenges involve …

Investigating The Production And Perception Of Lexical Stress In English As A Second Language: A Cue-Weighting Approach, Natalia Irene Minjarez Oppenheimer

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Cue-Weighting Transfer Hypothesis states that (a) listeners weight acoustic cues according to how informative they are in signaling a lexical contrast in their L1, and (b) that listeners transfer their cue weightings from the L1 to the L2, using those cues that are important in the L1 to perceive lexical stress in the L2 (Tremblay et al., 2021). Most of the Spanish-English bilinguals in our region are highly proficient in both languages, but differ in their language dominance spectrums. That is, they can handle both languages with ease, but are usually more dominant in one of them. Because of …

School Counselors’ Perspectives On Preparing Students Experiencing Homelessness For College, Stacey A. Havlik, Dana Brookover, Patrick Rowley

Journal of College Access

The purpose of the study is to investigate school counselors’ support of youth experiencing homelessness going to college. Using survey methods, school counselors reported their knowledge, perceived competence, advocacy, and actions related to supporting students experiencing homelessness in their college preparation. The results suggested that training and the number of students experiencing homelessness on counselors’ caseloads were significantly related to their knowledge and competence. Knowledge, competence, and advocacy all impacted the number of interventions utilized by participants. The implications of these results for school counselors and counselor educators are discussed.

(Non)Cognitive Dissonance? A Stakeholder-Based Exploration Of The Consideration Of Graduate Admissions Applicants' Personal Skills And Qualities, Reginald M. Gooch, Joseph H. Paris, Sara B. Haviland, Jose Sotelo

Journal of College Access

Prospective graduate students’ noncognitive attributes are commonly evaluated as a part of a holistic review of their admission applications. Yet it is difficult to determine which noncognitive attributes are considered by those who evaluate graduate admissions applications and what approaches they take to measure applicants’ noncognitive attributes. It is even less clear to what degree prospective graduate students understand how they are evaluated for graduate admissions and how the evaluation of their noncognitive attributes factor into admissions decisions. Drawing on surveys of graduate enrollment management (GEM) professionals and prospective graduate students in the United States, our study investigates the noncognitive …

A Manual On The Planning And Integration Of Archaeological Methods In To Outdoor Forensic Search Investigations, Jonathan Robert Garcia

Anthropology Department: Theses

As archaeology and its applications into forensic contexts develop into the growing discipline of forensic archaeology, an increasing amount of literature has resulted stemming from research on the integration of common archaeological methods. However, much of this literature is intended for professional archaeologists or forensic anthropologists who are well experienced in their respective disciplines. Emerging literature generally does not consider those who leads efforts at forensic scenes in the outdoors such as law enforcement officers who often lack a background in archaeology or forensic anthropology. This thesis seeks to resolve this dilemma by creating a new and accessible manual. The …

Effect Of Asynchronous Virtual Interviews On Ethnic Minority Matriculation Into A Doctor Of Physical Therapy Program, Conner Clark, Nanea Lagasca, Gladys Miller, Jasmine Puspos

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose/Methods: This study examines the impact of the use of asynchronous virtual interviews (AVIs) in the admissions process of the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). This research aims to examine racial and ethnic subgroup differences in AVI scores, evaluate the influence of AVIs on applicant scores in the admissions process, and assess the AVI inter-rater reliability among faculty evaluators using data from the 2019-2022 admissions cycles.

Results: Significant differences were found in AVI scores among racial and ethnic groups, with Black applicants scoring highest and Asian applicants scoring lowest. Additionally, inclusion …

The Infinite Design Of Creative Self-Leadership, Adrian T. Ashdown

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

The purpose of my Master’s of Science in Creativity and Change Leadership Project is to develop a Scope and Sequence for a Creative Self-Leadership course, providing participants with a structured framework for intentional personal growth and leadership development. The Infinite Design of Creative Self-Leadership serves as an individualized framework for influencing our human experience deliberately. Throughout this project, the core idea remains consistent: to teach creativity as a transferable skill with applications beyond traditional educational settings. The culmination of this endeavor will result in a comprehensive Scope & Sequence for The Infinite Design Creative Self-Leadership Course, offering participants a solid …

Understanding The Multidimensional Ramifications Of Education Censorship To Promote Justice-Oriented School Social Work., Brandon D. Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since 2020, recensions on youth rights and education censorship have been backed by a network of actors and organizations on the political Right, evidenced by race and diversity curricula bans, book bans, and inflammatory media discourse. The scope and prevalence of education censorship are understudied with little known about the policies enacted, and influences of media discourse, school boards, and the effects on schools and the school social worker. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore and understand the scope and prevalence of education censorship, including policies, media discourse, school boards, and schools. To achieve the aims of this …

Still I Rise: A Critical Utopian Action Research Study On Black Femme-Identifying And Gender Expansive Emerging Adults In Technology Leadership., Alisia Mcclain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This Critical Utopian Action Research (CUAR) study delves into the intersection of authentic leadership, Black Feminist Thought (BFT), and technology leadership development, focusing on the perspectives of emerging adult Black femme-identifying or gender-expansive individuals. Addressing two primary research questions, the study investigates their idealized visions for technology leadership programs and discerns key factors differentiating authentic leadership from models incorporating BFT. Through qualitative analysis of Future-Creating Workshop outputs and participant narratives, the study unveils multifaceted themes. Participants articulate a vision of technology leadership development rooted in authenticity, intersectionality, and inclusivity. Their ideal programs prioritize celebrating complex identities, engaging through technology, and …

Phenomenological Study Of The Impact Of Stress And Burnout After Covid-19 On Educators: Supporting Teachers In Resiliency And Facilitating Adversarial Growth Post-Pandemic., Rebecca Hicks-Hawkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

COVID-19 has not only caused anxiety and fears among teachers for their own health and that of their families; they are also facing increased responsibility. Planning periods had been replaced with coverage periods, where teachers must teach other classes when their colleagues are out—often due to illness—because the supply of substitute teachers cannot meet the demand (Barton & Dickason, 2022). Teaching is a demanding profession, and there will always be stress associated with a job where so many external factors come into play (Hansen, 2013). However, in the face of adversity some teachers were thriving. They are showing up and …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Social Capital And Its Influence On Baccalaureate Degree Completion Of First-Generation African American Men At The University Of Louisville., Joseph Marshall Goodman Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation was designed to examine influences which various forms of social capital have on post-secondary degree attainment of first-generation individuals who self-identify as African American men. Additionally, the sample population consisted of Black men who successfully matriculated to earn baccalaureate credentials across differing academic disciplines at a public historically White institution located in the mid-south region of the United States. The research data was extracted from one-on-one, semi-structured interviews using authentic dialogue through open-ended questions. Theoretical paradigms of the study involved a phenomenological approach and an ontological philosophical assumption, integrated with critical theory, critical race theory and social …

Revealing The Superintendency: Developing The National Longitudinal Superintendent Database And Evaluating Trends In K-12 Superintendent Attrition, Sarah A. Harper

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Does Appearance Matter? The Relationship Of Perceived Body Size And Physical Appearance On Students' Attraction To Physical Activity At Recess, Danielle Belcher

Master's Theses

Drastic declines in recess physical activity (PA) have been observed within recent years (Center for Disease Control (CDC), 2017). Due to recess’ discretionary nature, psychosocial variables associated with PA are predictors of students’ PA levels. Recess is also a time of heightened bullying occurrences (Vaillancourt et al., 2010). Appearance-based bullying is the most common type of victimization that occurs in schools, transpiring more often in children with larger body max indexes (BMI), and possibly altering students’ physical self-perceptions. Physical self-perceptions have been shown to impact PA motivation, however, it is still unknown the extent to which appearance-based bullying, body size, …

A Little Loud And A Little Alone: A Phenomenology Of Leadership Identity Construction Among Women In Higher Education Technology, Amy Barry

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

This qualitative study is an exploration of how women in higher education information technology (IT) positions navigate constructing their leadership identities. This includes the messy, personal, internal identity work that occurs prior to claiming their leadership identities on the public stage, followed by an examination of what the experience of attempting to claim and negotiate a leadership identity is like in the social context of their organizations. This educational and sociological study employs an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach with a series of three interviews per participant that allowed the researcher to deeply explore the personal identity experiences of participants. Findings …

Lived Experiences, Migration Journey, Religiosity, And Spirituality Depicted In Drawings By Latino Children And Youth Crossing The U.S. Mexican Border: A Qualitative Study., Doroty Magalhaes Sato

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Widespread violence forces thousands of Central American children to endure a hazardous journey toward the U.S. Border seeking refuge. In the Latino community, faith serves as a social movement of resistance against oppression, playing a vital role in migration. There is a paucity of research documenting this experience and children's overall journey. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the lived experience of crossing international borders, religiosity, and spirituality depicted in Latino children's drawings used as coping methods to endure the journey toward the U.S. southern border. This investigation employed Art-based approaches to give voices to children's experiences by analyzing 63 …

Examining Attitudes Towards Scientific Research, Charles Ian Johnston

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Undergraduate students are often anxious about participating in a research experience. In this study, students conducted research as part of their introductory biology course and were then surveyed using the Attitudes toward Research Scale, to understand their views on research. Students were surveyed at the beginning and end of the semester, and their scores in five attitudinal categories were compared. The attitudes examined were usefulness of research, positive attitudes towards research, relevance of research, difficulty of research and anxiety towards research. We hypothesized that participation in research as part of a course would improve students’ attitude toward research. Initial analysis …

An Educated Guess: The Impact Of Education On Conspiracy Theories And Voting, Ellie Bickelhaupt

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

How strongly does education impact one's perception and opinion of conspiracy theories and voting? Throughout the years, conspiracy theories have been a rising trend in recent years that many people find entertaining, but many believe to be actual facts. The impact of one's education level can substantially change a person's beliefs in conspiracy theories and overall trust in the government. This trend has been shown by analyzing media consumption, education status, and the American National Election survey. This research will compare the trends between education level and conspiracy theory beliefs and how both affect a person's voting behavior. This research …

Behavioral Health Professionals’ Perception Of Anxiety Disorders Amongst African American Clients, Chantel K. Gant

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Anxiety disorders are frequent and increasing across the United States including for ethnically diverse populations (Carter et al., 2012). There is a need for education in the community on anxiety disorders about indicators of anxiety, severity and therapeutic approaches that would be beneficial (Johnson & Coles, 2013). It is imperative to know the variation in anxiety for African Americans to aid in therapeutic resources and counseling designed for this population (Hopkins & Shook, 2017). Prior research includes more of a focus on behavioral health professionals’ perspectives in conjectural situations rather than actual clinical practice (Joy & Bartholomew, 2021; Lawrence …

Career Skills Congruence: Transferring Military Talent To The Civilian Job Market: A Preregistered Study, Anna M. Amos

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The training and experience gained through U.S. military service instill a strong sense of discipline, loyalty, and duty to one's country while preparing service members for the challenges they face during their military careers. Military culture is a defining aspect of servicemembers' identities, especially for those who have spent significant time in the military. The problem is that service members often enculturate into a life where they adopt an identity incongruent with the ability to engage in a smooth transition to civilian culture. The purpose of this cross-sectional regression study is to test social identity theory and transition theory that …

More Than A Monolith: Three Essays On The Diverse Journey Of Immigrant Students And Their Postsecondary Outcomes, Rian Rinaldi Djita

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For many years, the United States (U.S.) has been the country with the largest number of immigrants. As a result, policy about immigrant students’ success becomes crucial since it carries not only ethical implications but also economic and societal implications. While there have been other alternatives for students’ success, such as Career and Technical Education (CTE), undeniably, college is still seen as a common pathway to success (e.g., Choi, 2015; Heckman et al., 2018; Turner, 2004). Unfortunately, there are several gaps in the literature on immigrant students’ success and postsecondary outcomes. First, while there is an increasing number of immigrants …

The Educator Labor Market In Times Of Change: Lessons From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Andrew Mitchell Camp

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic placed an undeniable burden onto the teaching profession which already faced levels of prestige and interest at 50-year lows. The strains of the pandemic resulted in educators reporting higher levels of job-related stress and burnout and exacerbated concerns about potential teacher shortages. This dissertation leverages administrative data from Arkansas to better understand challenges facing the teacher workforce following COVID-19 and evaluate two increasingly policies aimed at the teacher workforce. In the first chapter, I provide evidence that teacher turnover was relatively stable during the first two years (2020-21 and 2021-22) of the COVID-19 pandemic before a notable …

Working Alongside People With Disabilities: Their Impact And Value, Alice A. Jensen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

U.S. policies such as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 and the Americans with Disabilities Act support the inclusion of adults with disabilities in all areas of employment. Through WIOA, the federal government required public entities to provide training and help job seekers with disabilities access high-quality, competitive, integrated employment in the labor market. Nevertheless, two-thirds of unemployed PWDs report wanting employment but cannot find a job. Negative perceptions held by employers and hiring managers and their views that PWDs lack abilities create barriers to employment. In contrast, research has also shown that coworkers can greatly influence successful …

Perceptions Of Families, Students, And Teachers On Iep Engagement For Families And Students Of Color During Junior High And Senior High School Iep Conferences, Amillia Kae Oswalt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored the experiences of families and students of color and their teachers during junior high and high school IEP meetings. This study, informed by DisCrit, explored the similarities and differences of families, students, and teachers during IEP meetings as well as the use of research-based practices designed to increase family engagement for culturally diverse families. Participants completed surveys and participated in interviews about their experiences. The student’s most current IEP was also reviewed to determine the ways in which teachers document family and student engagement within the IEP document. The major themes identified were that research-based practices …

Impostor Phenomenon, Perfectionism, Psychological Distress, And Burnout In Pre-Health Undergraduate Students, Victoria Lee

Honors Theses

Preparing for a career in the healthcare field is incredibly strenuous and demanding, and previous research endeavors have demonstrated that students in professional healthcare programs show an increased susceptibility to impostor phenomenon, perfectionism, psychological distress, and burnout. Previous studies have indicated a possible link between impostor phenomenon, perfectionism, psychological distress, and burnout; however, these studies only considered two or three constructs at a time in graduate students (Rosenthal, et al., 2021; Seong, et al., 2020; Garratt-Reed, et al., 2018). The current study’s purpose was to investigate the whether or not impostor phenomenon, perfectionism, and psychological distress could be potential predictors …

Change In Academic Self-Efficacy Across Gender And Year In School For Undergraduate Sport Management Students, Jarid Morton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Academic self-efficacy (ASE) is a construct derived from social cognitive theory developed to assess an individuals perceived competence in academia. It has been found to significantly relate to academic achievement. Students scoring higher in ASE are more likely to obtain higher cumulative grade point averages and higher test scores. Studies assessing ASE have examined degree programs such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (i.e., STEM), business, and the humanities. Despite the wide scope of fields studied, sport management programs have yet to be assessed. This study aims to fill this gap. Part of the study aimed to construct a valid …