Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Cross-National Attitudes About Paid Parental Leave Offerings For Fathers, Qi Li, Chris Knoester, Richard J. Petts

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Using cross-national data from the 2012 International Social Survey Programme (N = 33,273), this study considers institutional, self-interest, and ideational factors in analyzing public opinions about the provision, length, and source of paid parental leave offerings for fathers. We find substantial support for generous leave offerings. Multilevel regression results reveal that being a woman, supporting dual-earning expectations, and realizing more family strains lead to support for more generous leave offerings. Endorsing separate spheres and intensive mothering attitudes reduces support for more generous leave offerings; although, gendered attitudes interact with one another in predicting leave preferences, too. Finally, country-level indicators …

Cell Phone Use And Adolescent Weight Problems, Florence Kenkor Njang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOverweightinadolescenceincreasestheriskofobesityandmanyadversehealthoutcomeslaterinlife.The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectionalstudy was to investigatetheassociationbetweencell phoneuseandweightstatusinadolescents,ages14 17yearsold,livingintheUnitedStates.Thesocio-ecologicalmodel(SEM)wasusedtoexplainthelinkbetweencellphoneuseandoverweightamongadolescents.Threeresearchquestionswere used to explore(a)therelationshipbetweencellphoneuseandadolescentweightstatusaftercontrollingforage,gender,andrace;(b)the effectofcellphoneuseonoverweightandnormalweightstatusesamongadolescentsaged 14 17yearsaftercontrollingforage,gender,andphysicalactivity;and(c)themodifyingeffectofraceontherelationshipbetweencellphoneuseandadolescentoverweightaftercontrollingforageandgender.Secondary data from the2017YouthRiskBehavioralSurveillanceSystemwere analyzed usingbinarylogisticregressiontoanswer theresearchquestions.Highcellphoneusesignificantlyandpositivelypredictedoverweightinadolescentsaftercontrollingforage,gender,andrace(p<0.001).Afteraccountingforage,gender,andphysicalactivity,highcellphoneusewasasignificantpredictorofoverweight(p<0.001).Similarly,racehadasignificantmodifyingeffectonthepositiveassociationbetweenhighcelluseandoverweightamongadolescents(p<0.001).Thekeypositivesocialchange implication of this studyis the potentialtointegratehealthycellphoneusewithexistingobesitypublichealthinterventionsthatcanreduceoverweightandpositivelyimpactindividuals,families,andcommunities.

Mental Health Disparities In Social Work Practice Of Minority Youth Offenders, Beverly Ann Rivera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA large number of minority youths placed in the juvenile justice system across the United States have mental health disorders. Most of these youths do not receive mental health services or support within the system, which increases risk factors such as undiagnosed and untreated mental illness and adverse outcomes such as recidivism. This action research sought to uncover whether mental health disparities in social work practice in the juvenile justice system were due to race and ethnicity and asked social workers to recommend strategies to improve mental health availability, access, and provision. Participants in the study were social workers who …

Social Support Experiences Of Stably Housed Emancipated Foster Youth, Camron L. Whitacre

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Youth emancipating from foster care are at increased risk of housing instability and homelessness and have reduced access to needed social supports to aid in the difficult transition to independent living. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived formal social support experiences of stably housed emancipated foster youth. Purposive sampling techniques and inclusion criteria guided the recruitment of nine study participants from a state-administered postemancipation services program to take part in semistructured interviews. A conceptual framework, including social convoy and attachment theories, informed inquiry, and interpretation of findings. Participant lived experiences illuminated the importance of …

Working With Sexually Violent Persons: Grit, The Supervisory Working Alliance, And Burnout, Stalina Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clinicians who work with sexually violent persons (SVPs) are faced with various problems related to the nature of their job duties, job settings, and the specificity of the population they serve. Although researchers have investigated the phenomenon of burnout extensively over the last decade, research focusing on burnout among counselors who work with SVPs is insufficient. The purpose of this quantitative comparative survey study was to investigate differences in burnout among clinicians working with SVPs by examining their grit, the supervisory working alliance, and job settings. The Grit Short Scale (Grit-S), the Supervisory Working Alliance Inventory—Trainee version (SWAI-T), and the …

Sociodemographic And Psychosocial Factors And Wellbeing Among Adults 65 And Older In England, Dainelle Clark

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increased number of older adults living longer parallels with the growth of public health concerns regarding the impact of sociodemographic and psychosocial factors (e.g., loneliness and social isolation) on older adults' wellbeing. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the association between loneliness, social isolation, the combined model of loneliness, and social isolation on wellbeing among older adults when accounting for age, gender, ethnicity, and social support. The socioecological model (SEM) was used to evaluate the multiple levels of environmental determinants for loneliness, social isolation, and wellbeing. The target population included older adults 65 years and older …

Medical Brain Drain And Its Effect On The Nigerian Healthcare Sector, Oluwakemi Osigbesan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nigeria suffers from a huge brain drain issue across different sectors, particularly in the healthcare sector. The WHO assessed that there is a current shortage of 2.8 million physicians in the world A heuristic phenomenological method was used in this study to explore the lived experiences of 12 Nigerian healthcare practitioners that migrated to the United States. The push-pull theory served as the theoretical framework that grounded this study. The central research questions for this study focused primarily on the reasons healthcare practitioners are leaving Nigeria and what the impact of those decisions have on the Nigerian healthcare sector. Qualitative …

Black Mothers’ Birthing Center Experiences And Exclusive Breastfeeding Practices, Natashia King-Conner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The persistence of racial disparities in breastfeeding is associated with a range of interconnected factors, such as historical, cultural, social, social, and psychological. The current gap in the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding among Black mothers and White mothers has led to rising concerns in the United States. A basic qualitative approach was used to conceptualize the multidimensional constructs of the social–ecological model to investigate the individual, interpersonal, institutional, and community-level structures and existing policies in birthing centers that inadvertently harbor biases that impede care for Black mothers. Data were gathered through purposeful sampling and semistructured interviews with 10 Black mothers …

The Role Of Psychological Distress In Maintaining Exercise After Cancer Diagnosis, Patrick Tertulien

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractCancer affects the lives of thousands of people every day and is a leading cause of death. Exercise has been shown to yield mental and physical benefits for patients and survivors, but the experiences of cancer patients who face a multiplicity of psychological stressors have not been clearly described. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the psychological factors that are associated with continuing to exercise after cancer diagnosis, during and/or following their treatment. The focus was on how cancer survivors maintained a regular routine of exercise while experiencing psychological distress associated with cancer diagnosis, treatment, and concerns …

Anxiety Explains Self-Differentiation: Implications For Bowenian Approaches To Marriage And Family Therapy, Reagan Thomas, John Shelley-Tremblay, Harvey Joanning

University Faculty and Staff Publications

This study examined the Bowenian construct of Self- Differentiation (SD), defined as the degree to which a person can think according to their personal beliefs while remaining emotionally connected to the family. This study examined the degree to which negative emotionality accounted for the relationship between SD and Relationship Satisfaction (RS). Emotional Cutoff (EC) emerged as the sole predictor of RS. When Trait Anxiety (TA) was entered into the model it mediated between EC and RS. We discuss the importance of treating anxiety of the individual in family therapy and that SD may best be understood when taking anxiety into …

The Role Of Community Belongingness In The Mental Health And Well-Being Of Black Lgbtq Adults, Keith Justin Watts

Theses and Dissertations

The impact of racial and sexual minority stigma, prejudice, and discrimination on the mental health and well-being of Black and LGBTQ individuals, respectively, has been well documented in the literature. Research on these relationships for Black LGBTQ individuals who are multiply marginalized due to their position at the social intersections of gender identity, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity is less common. Belongingness to identity-based communities can protect against the negative impact of these minority stressors for Black and LGBTQ individuals and aid coping processes. However, Black LGBTQ individuals often experience stigma and discrimination in their racial, sexual, and gender minority communities …

Tolle Lege Works Published In 2021, Mcquade Library

Bibliographies

Compiled Tolle Lege bibliography of works published by members of the Merrimack College Community in 2021. Works include journal articles, books, book chapters, conference presentations and posters, and more.

A Systematic Review Of Center Of Mass As A Measure Of Dynamic Postural Control Following Concussion, Sarah Patejak, Joshua Forrest, Emily Harting, Mable Sisk, Eric Schussler

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The incidence of sports-related concussion in the US is between 1.6-3.8 million annually. Identification of ongoing impairment post-concussion continues to be challenging, as research indicates many patients are cleared for return to activity while still suffering subclinical impairment of function. Purpose: To identify and review the current literature on the use of center of mass (COM) during gait as a potential indicator variable after concussive injury. Study Design: Systematic Review.

METHODS: A Pubmed search was undertaken utilizing search terms involving gait performance and concussion. Study inclusion criteria included: (1) COM used as a variable in data analysis, (2) study …

The Incorporation Of Indigenous Tradition In Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Pathway To Cultural Inclusivity Within Mental Health, Angelo Adonnis Winings

Senior Projects Spring 2021

The use of psychedelic medicine has been a part of society and the evolution of humanity since the beginning of our existence. Throughout the years, these practices were integrated into cultures around the world throughout the years, as societal structures promoted traditional practices reflective of ritual and custom. One such practice that survived the test of time is the use of psychoactive substances to promote mental states that put the user in touch with spiritual ancestors as well as with the subtleties of the world around them. These practices included tribal usage in indigenous cultures from Africa, the Americas, parts …

An Assessment Of Kentucky Birth Records, Focusing On Early-Onset Hypertensive Disorders Of Pregnancy, Environmental Metal Exposures, And Geocoding Precision, 2008-2017, Courtney J. Walker

Theses and Dissertations--Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Using live and stillbirth records from Kentucky (2008-2017), this dissertation assessed the county-level prevalence and geospatial patterns of early-onset hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (eHDP); examined the geocoding precision of addresses recorded on birth records, and evaluated the association between individual risk factors and environmental metal exposures on eHDP prevalence. After adjusting for maternal demographic factors and pre-existing health conditions, we observed that eHDP prevalence was 38% higher (aPR=1.38, 95%CI:1.16, 1.64) in counties with the highest prevalence of married women (> 53.8%) compared to lower prevalence areas (31.6%) had a 20% higher prevalence of eHDP(aPR=1.20, 95%CI:1.00, 1.44) compared to counties with …

A Case Of Moderate Clinical Depression In Early Onset Parkinson’S Disease, Dr. Rakshith N R, Dr. Pranahith V. Reddy, Dr. Kishor M

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

No abstract provided.

Physiological Measurements For Real-Time Fatigue Monitoring In Train Drivers: Review Of The State Of The Art And Reframing The Problem, Bojana Bjegojevic, Maria Chiara Leva, Nora Balfe, Sam D. Cromie, Luca Longo

Conference papers

The impact of fatigue on train drivers is one of the most important safety-critical issues in rail. It affects drivers’ performance, significantly contributing to railway incidents and accidents. To address the issue of real-time fatigue detection in drivers, most reliable and applicable psychophysiological indicators of fatigue need to be identified. Hence, this paper aims to examine and present the current state of the art in physiological measures for real-time fatigue monitoring that could be applied in the train driving context. Three groups of such measures are identified: EEG, eye-tracking and heart-rate measures. This is the first paper to provide the …

Examining Clinicians' Perspectives Screening For Depression In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Vickie Lavette Bland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States has a significant diabetes problem. This chronic disease affects the body physically and mentally. One of the emotional effects of diabetes is depression. Depression is often present in individuals with diabetes, chiefly in those with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). While depression is common in T2DM and can interfere with treatment adherence, clinician screening for depression in T2DM patients is low. The purpose of this study was to examine clinicians' attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions concerning screening patients with T2DM for depression. Through a qualitative case study approach centered on reasoned action theory, 3 physicians and 5 nurse …

Strategies For Establishing A Diverse Workforce Within A University Health System’S Department, Shanee Chantel Morgan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Balanced diversity in health care promotes patient satisfaction and enhances innovation. Obtaining a culturally balanced workplace requires recruitment strategies that encourage inclusiveness among team members from various backgrounds. The purpose of this doctoral study was to explore the issue of lack of diversity in a behavioral health organization’s (BHO’s) student intern program and identify strategies for creating greater diversity in the workplace. The Baldrige excellence framework, the conceptual framework that guided the research, was designed to help BHOs to improve their overall business performance to accomplish goals and increase organizational sustainability. Three themes emerged from the data analysis: diversity training, …

Issues Facing Community-Based Social Workers When Providing Female Offenders With Reunification Services, Karen N. Vertti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe goal with this action research project was to understand how community-based social workers (CBSWs) could address female offenders’ and their children’s needs while striving to reintegrate them into the community of Central Los Angeles County, California. Postrelease female offenders with children suffer from a variety of issues related to housing, employment, and personal childhood trauma. The trauma exacerbates the risk of revictimization and recidivism. CBSWs play a pivotal role in helping female offenders overcome barriers to successful reentry and reunify with their children. This study incorporated Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory which provided a systems lens to this project. The …

Mental Health Provider Experiences Among Juvenile Offenders With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Vanessa West

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has indicated various treatment options available such as medication management or family therapy for juvenile offenders struggling with a diagnosis of, or symptoms of, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Exploring mental health clinicians’ perceptions may provide insight into treatment needed for this population to contribute positively to society. Past researchers refrained from obtaining mental health clinicians’ perspectives on treatment when working with this population. Rational choice theory indicates that individuals examine the costs and benefits of their actions prior to making decisions. Gestalt/feature-intensive processing theory promotes the inclusion of necessary information to help with processing when making decisions. Youth …

Parental Stress Coping And Middle-School Students’ Grades And Behavioral Conduct, Stephanie Buckner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAccording to Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, factors such as parental stress influence family functioning and affect children’s adaptive development. This quantitative study was conducted to better understand the association of parental stress coping skills with two dependent measures: the grades and behavioral conduct of middle-school students. Sixty-six parent/guardians completed the Coping Skills Assessment 2nd Revision (COSA R2), an assessment of parental stress coping skills and a brief questionnaire to collect data on their middle-school-aged children’s grades and conduct, along with demographic variables of race/ethnicity, age, family income level, number of children in the household, and partner status. No significant difference …

Leader’S Relational Transparency And Team-Level Trust And Distrust, Jiri Krejci

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Team trust in teams of collaborative knowledge workers has been identified as one of the main mediators of team effectiveness, and one of the most important outcomes of effective team leadership. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to explore the relationships among relational transparency as a component of authentic leader’s behavior, and the levels of affect-based trust and distrust, as well as the relationship between both outcomes in context of the process of their emergence in a team setting. A total of 176 knowledge workers from a commercial business contact database participated. The relationships between these variables were …

Access To Preventive Health Care Services And Effects On Health Outcomes For Hispanic Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Shafa Al-Showk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite elevated prevalence of diabetes among Hispanic, Hispanic older adults face challenges in self-control and management of their glucose levels, and they have less access to preventive health care services. The purpose of this retrospective quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine the associations between access to preventive health care services and Type 2 diabetes outcomes among Hispanic adults aged 65 years and older. The social-ecological model provided the framework for the study. The research question for this study examined the extent to which doctor visits, diabetes education and blood sugar checks correlate with HbA1c levels. Data were collected from 566 …

Parenting A Child With Autism: Predictors Of Parental Self-Efficacy, Robert Milton Guy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the rate of children being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) increases, so too does the number of parents learning to cope with their child’s disability and its effects on their own health, well-being, and parental self-efficacy. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which subjective social status, parental social supports, and fatigue were factors predicting parental self-efficacy in parents of children diagnosed with ASD residing in the state of Oregon. Bandura’s social cognitive theory was used to frame this study. The sample for this study consisted of 120 parents of children diagnosed with ASD …

The Power Of Exogenous Variables In Predicting West Nile Virus In South Carolina, Christopher Lee Glaze

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the availability of medical data, environmental surveillance tools, and heightened public awareness, West Nile Virus (WNv) remains a global health hazard. Reliable methods for predicting WNv outbreaks remain elusive, and environmental health managers must take preventive actions without the benefit of simple predictive tools. The purpose of this ex post facto research was to examine the accuracy and timeliness of exogenous data in predicting outbreaks of WNv in South Carolina. Decision theory, the CYNEFIN construct, and systems theory provided the theoretical framework for this study, allowing the researcher to broaden traditional decision theory concepts with powerful system-level precepts. Using …

Influence Of Parenting Style On Frequency Of Alcohol Consumption By Jewish Male And Female Emerging Adults, Thomas Gross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The health hazards associated with young adults’ frequency of alcohol consumption have been well documented. It has been shown that 40.1% of emerging adults have been involved in binge drinking (i.e., consumption of more than five drinks in a row). The current prevalence rates of alcohol use among young male and female adults are 19% and 26%, respectively. The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of perceived parenting style (i.e., permissive, authoritarian, or authoritative/flexible) on the self-reported frequency of alcohol consumption of 138 U.S. Jewish male and female college students ages 19 to 27 years. The …

Examining The Impact Of Mental Health Education On Bias And Stigma In Cit Trained Officers, Jennifer L. Krause

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational nonexperimental research was to examine the relationship between the mental health education received through Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training and the perceptions of public mental health stigma, self-stigma, and attitudes toward seeking mental health services among law enforcement officers. The study’s theoretical framework integrated gender-role conflict theory and Goffman’s stigma theory in explaining the influence of the police culture on officers’ adoption of more traditional masculine roles. This research used three instruments: the Attitudes to Mental Illness questionnaire to measure perceptions of public stigma, the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale to measure self-stigma, and …

Expectation Setting As A Retention Strategy To Improve Military Veterans’ Transition Into Civilian Organizations, Sarah O. Bashorun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Military veterans entering the civilian job market have experienced challenges adapting to the civilian work place culture, which poses undesirable retention rates. This qualitative study addressed the research gap in understanding contextually the lived experiences with setting expectations and its impact on veterans withdrawing from the organization from the perspectives of veterans, HR, and hiring managers. This study was based on the met expectation theory that posits that an employee’s incoming expectation needs to match their expectation while on the job to avoid withdrawal behaviors. To confirm the theory and address the purpose two research questions were used: (a) addressed …

Social Media And Physical Activity Among African American College Women, Carmen Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Among African American (AA) college women, physical activity (PA) is decreasing, with less than 20% participating in moderate-intensity cardio or aerobic exercise. Physical inactivity can lead to increased morbidity and mortality from chronic conditions. There is a need for more research on AA women’s health practices to develop interventions that can lead to sustainable behavior change among this population. More than 70% of AA college women reported using some form of social media (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat) daily. Social networking sites (SNS) in particular can provide health information, advice, and an open forum for individuals with health …