Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Reforming Egypt’S Alternative Child Care System Through Deinstitutionalization: An Assessment Of The Current Status And Readiness To Change In The Residential Care Sector, Dina Elbawab

Theses and Dissertations

The main objective of this study was to assess the current status and readiness of the sector of residential care institutions for children to take part in the deinstitutionalization of children in alternative care in Egypt. The assessment was carried out using an adapted version of the Community Readiness Model (CRM), a tool developed by the Tri-Ethnic Center at Colorado State University. Accordingly, the assessment comprised semi-structured interviews with fourteen key informants to assess the following six readiness dimensions: efforts, knowledge of the efforts, leadership, community climate, knowledge of the issue, and resources related to the issue. The study briefly …

It Takes A Village: An Examination Of Social Relationships And Mental Health, Em Francis Trubits

Dissertations and Theses

Social relationships are impactful to mental health and well-being, both positively and negatively. Different sources of support vary in their ability to meet our needs and ultimately influence our well-being. While research has examined aspects of supportive and harmful social relationships and mental health, much of this work is cross-sectional or limited to a single source of support. This dissertation aimed to better elucidate the relationship between social relationships and mental health by integrating multiple theoretical perspectives and multiple sources of support, in a series of three empirical studies in order to inform theory and interventions targeting mental health of …

Examining The Utility Of The Military Service Sleep Assessment In U.S. Veterans, Sophie Vincent

Symposium of Student Scholars

Background: Veterans frequently report sleep disturbances. However, little is known about which military or life events most frequently influence veterans' sleep. The focus of this study is to report the specific military and life events that had the most negative effect on sleep quality in veterans by utilizing the Military Service Sleep Assessment (MSSA).

Method: Post 9/11 veterans (N = 373) completed an assessment battery examining sleep disturbances, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and of dysfunctional and recovery cognitions. Descriptives (i.e., mean and frequency), t-tests, X² tests of independence, residuals, and risk ratios were computed to examine the impact …

Strong Black Woman Schema And Its Impact Among Black Women, Charissa Simon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the impact of the Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema on the mental health and help-seeking behaviors of Black/African American professional women, contributing novel insights to existing literature. Despite possessing access and financial means for mental health services, a strikingly low rate of Black/African American professional women seek such resources. The study was grounded in intersectionality theory and the self-silencing theory. Eleven Black/African American professional women participants volunteered. Thematic analysis illuminated common barriers including pride, distrust in the mental health system, a strong inclination towards self-reliance, feelings of being misunderstood, and a lack of emotional support. …

The Effects Of Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure On Navigation In A Delayed Non- Match-To-Place Spatial Alternation Task By Adult Male And Female Rats, Gabriela Acosta

Psychology ETDs

Prenatal alcohol exposure has been found to alter brain regions involved in spatial memory. Previous studies have shown that moderate PAE (mPAE; ~30-120 mg/dL) impairs spatial memory in male rats and damages the limbic-thalamus and hippocampus. Recent work has shown that visual discrimination memory is impaired after mPAE in a sex-specific manner such that female mice exhibit greater deficits after 15sec delay. It is unclear whether similar-sex-specific deficits would be observed in a spatial memory task or in a rat model of mPAE. Thus, the present study tests the hypothesis that mPAE would produce sex-specific deficits in a delayed non-match-to-place …

The Relationship Between Domestic Violence And Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes, Bernardina Marcelo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little is known about how domestic violence treatment outcomes relate to substance abuse among intimate partners. Previous studies have reported that intimate partners who are in treatment for substance use struggle with the containment of domestic violence. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to investigate how substance abuse among intimate partners relates to domestic violence treatment outcomes. Two theoretical frameworks, namely cycle of violence theory and social exchange theory informed the study. A convenience sample of 76 participants participated in the study. Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression, and the results showed that women in domestic …

Power And Control Wheel Tactics: Assessing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd) Epistemology Among Domestic Violence Survivors, Lisa Hady

Theses and Graduate Projects

Domestic violence affects more than 10 million adults in the United States annually (National Network to End Domestic Violence, 2020). The Power and Control Wheel (PCW) places power and control at the center of physical and sexual violence, with eight surrounding tactics representing the abusive behaviors perpetrators use to retain power and control over survivors. Although the PCW has been extended to understand various abusive relationships, and the PCW tactics have been examined in both Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Non-Intimate Partner Violence (NPV; Basile et al., 2004; Scott, 2018), limited research compares tactics used based on the perpetrator’s relationship …

Psychological Distress And Behavioral Vigilance In Response To Minority Stress And Threat Among Members Of The Asian American And Pacific Islander Community During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Andrew S. Franks, Rin Nguyen, Y. Jenny Xiao, Dena Abbott

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Stigmatization, hostility, and violence towards the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community have increased sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to conduct research to promote understanding of the effects of such stigmatization on the AAPI community. Accordingly, the present study used a combined minority stress and integrated threat framework to examine whether factors related to AAPI identity would moderate the relationship between stigmatization/threat associated with AAPI identity and increased psychological distress and behavioral vigilance. AAPI individuals were recruited online from both Turk Prime and Reddit and completed measures of perceived stigmatization; integrated threat; depression, anxiety, and stress; …

Relation Of Life Sciences Students’ Metacognitive Monitoring To Neural Activity During Biology Error Detection, Mei Grace Behrendt, Caron Clark, Mckenna Elliott, Joseph Dauer

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Metacognitive calibration—the capacity to accurately self-assess one’s performance—forms the basis for error detection and self-monitoring and is a potential catalyst for conceptual change. Limited brain imaging research on authentic learning tasks implicates the lateral prefrontal and anterior cingulate brain regions in expert scientific reasoning. This study aimed to determine how variation in undergraduate life sciences students’ metacognitive calibration relates to their brain activity when evaluating the accuracy of biological models. Fifty undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory life sciences course completed a biology model error detection task during fMRI. Students with higher metacognitive calibration recruited lateral prefrontal regions linked in …

Trust Me: Film + Q&A; (February 22, 2024, 5:30 Pm, Sheldon Museum Of Art) [Poster], Sheldon Museum Of Art, University Of Nebraska-Lincoln

Sheldon Museum of Art: Catalogs and Publications

Poster for Trust Me: Film + Q&A held February 22, 2024 at 5:30 PM at the Sheldon Museum of Art (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States).

Poster blurb:

In today's information landscape, how do you know whom--and what--you can trust? Watch the award-winning, feature-length documentary Trust Me, which explores how media technology is influencing society and what we can do about it.

A Q&A with Rosemary Smith, filmmaker and managing director of the non-partisan Getting Better Foundation, follows.

More information about the screening is available at https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/trust-me-documentary-to-screen-at-sheldon/.

More information about the film is available at https://www.trustmedocumentary.com/ …

Strategies To Engage Multigenerational Workforces, With A Focus On Millennials, Talisha T. Turner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A problem that continues in the blue-collar industry is the lack of strategies to keep a multigenerational workforce engaged, especially millennials. The purpose of this basic qualitative descriptive design was to learn how to engage the millennial workforce in the blue-collar industry. The study examined the generational shift in the workplace leading to high turnover in the construction blue-collar industry. The goal was to enhance understanding of the effects of the generational shift in the blue-collar industry and show the impact that millennials have and will have on the blue-collar industry. The two research questions addressed (a) how experienced supervisors …

Private Sector Staff’S Lived Experiences With Gamified Onboarding Programs, Willa Thorpe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although gamification is an emerging area of study, it is still a relatively new concept in workplaces. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lack of existing literature on the topic of an interpretative, phenomenological analysis approach of private sector staff when gamification is utilized in onboarding processes. Data were collected via 12 individual semistructured interviews of full- or part-time employees at a partner organization in the information technology sector in India. Self-determination theory was used as the conceptual framework of this study. The research questions explored the lived experiences of staff with gamified onboarding programs and …

The Lived Experience Of Transformation In Cam Providers Trained In Trauma-Informed Care, Alane Lucht

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public and professional awareness of the nature and consequences of psychological trauma has resulted in a greater interest in becoming trauma informed. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers have begun to incorporate trauma-informed care in their practices. However, there is a lack of research exploring how training in trauma-informed care (TIC) personally and professionally transforms CAM providers. This descriptive phenomenological study explored the lived experience of transformation in CAM providers who participated in TIC training. Transformative learning theory (TLT) was used as the conceptual framework. Nine participants were interviewed, and their experiences of personal and professional transformation were analyzed using …

A Thematic Analysis Of The Experiences Of Black Female Coaches’ Evolution In Women’S College Basketball, Jessica E. Jones

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

According to the NCAA Demographics database, among the Division I, Division II, and Division III teams' women's basketball rosters for the 2020-2021 season, Black women only held 12% of head coaching positions, while White women held 45% of head coaching positions. The statistics should raise concern as Black and other female athletes of color make up 50% of NCAA's basketball rosters across all three divisions but they do not transition into coaching or leadership positions.

The current study explored the lived experiences of Black female coaches in NCAA women's basketball, including their career advancement, experiences as coaches, and their perception …

Connecting In A Remote World: Psychotherapy & Counselling Students’ Experiences Of Remote Teaching And Learning, Geraldine Sheedy

Dept of Applied Social Science

In 2017 Scholl et al. highlighted a growing trend towards online courses in Psychotherapy & Counselling training. With the emergence of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this growth has accelerated, with more training now taking place in an online setting. This study explored students’ experiences of remote learning on a Psychotherapy & Counselling training, with a particular focus on engagement and interaction in an online setting. A Thematic Analysis was carried out on the data and the central organising theme of Connection emerged. Three sub-themes were identified including, ‘Connection to Self’, ‘Connection to Others’ and ‘Connection to Lecturers’. Findings indicate that …

Growing Through Adversity: The Relation Of Early Childhood Educator Post-Traumatic Growth To Young Children’S Executive Function, Caron A. C. Clark, Holly Hatton-Bowers, Kimia Akhavein, Sarah Rasby, Gilbert R. Parra

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Early childhood educators (ECEs) play a critical role in supporting the development of young children’s executive functions (EF). EF, in turn, underpins lifelong resilience and well-being. Unfortunately, many ECEs report adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that may compound high stress levels associated with an emotionally and physically demanding profession. ACEs have well-established negative implications for adult well-being and may dampen ECEs’ capacities to engage in emotionally responsive interactions with children. However, many individuals who experience ACEs also report post-traumatic growth experiences that foster empathy, self-determination, and resilience. Such post-traumatic growth may equip teachers with skills to engage in responsive …

Self-Forgiveness As A Moderator Between Moral Injury And Posttraumatic Growth Among Veterans, Mario S. De Souza Ferreira

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The process of reintegration after military combat service is a difficult path for many veterans. Countless studies have been conducted examining the effects of trauma secondary to military service that result in posttraumatic stress disorder and other related consequences. However, moral injury (MI) related to the shame and guilt experienced by veterans has been of particular interest among mental health providers. Researchers have investigated the effects of forgiveness as a moderator between MI and posttraumatic growth (PTG). Gaps remain in the current mental health literature regarding the effect of self-forgiveness as a moderator between MI and PTG among combat veterans. …

General Cognitive Ability In High School, Attained Education, Occupational Complexity, And Dementia Risk, Jimi Huh, Thalida Em Arpawong, Tara L. Gruenewald, Gwenith G. Fisher, Carol A. Prescott, Jennifer J. Manly, Dominika Seblova, Ellen E. Walters, Margaret Gatz

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

INTRODUCTION

We address the extent to which adolescent cognition predicts dementia risk in later life, mediated by educational attainment and occupational complexity.

METHODS

Using data from Project Talent Aging Study (PTAS), we fitted two structural equation models to test whether adolescent cognition predicts cognitive impairment (CI) and Ascertain Dementia 8 (AD8) status simultaneously (N_{Cognitive Assessment} = 2477) and AD8 alone (N_{Questionnaire} = 6491) 60 years later, mediated by education and occupational complexity. Co-twin control analysis examined 82 discordant pairs for CI/AD8.

RESULTS

Education partially mediated the effect of adolescent cognition on CI in the cognitive assessment aample and …

Annual Research Review: The Power Of Predictability – Patterns Of Signals In Early Life Shape Neurodevelopment And Mental Health Trajectories, Elysia Poggi Davis, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

The global burden of early life adversity (ELA) is profound. The World Health Organization has estimated that ELA accounts for almost 30% of all psychiatric cases. Yet, our ability to identify which individuals exposed to ELA will develop mental illness remains poor and there is a critical need to identify underlying pathways and mechanisms. This review proposes unpredictability as an understudied aspect of ELA that is tractable and presents a conceptual model that includes biologically plausible mechanistic pathways by which unpredictability impacts the developing brain. The model is supported by a synthesis of published and new data illustrating the significant …

Cultural, Psychosocial, And Educational Factors In Relation To Ethnic Identity Among Cambodian High School Students In The United States, Traci L. Weinstein, Khanh Dinh, Tamara Springle

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

This study examined the relationship between preferred ethnic labels an cultural, psychosocial, and academic variables in a sample of 174 Cambodian high school students in the U.S. Results indicated that participants who chose “American” ethnic labels reported higher scores on White/Anglo orientation and on English language usage and fluency, whereas participants who chose the “Cambodian” ethnic label reported more Khmer language usage and frequency. Students who chose the combined “Cambodian American” ethnic label reported stronger beliefs in the utility of education and higher academic aspirations. The findings from this study expand the research on ethnic identity by focusing on 2nd …

Stigma On Mental Illness And Help-Seeking Among Nigerians In The United States, Olabode Akinbobola

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although the number of Nigerian immigrants to the United States has increased in the past few years, few studies have explored their mental health experiences. This study explored the lived experience of Nigerian immigrants living in the United States (US). Belief perseverance theory was utilized as a lens of analysis to understand if prior experiences, perceptions, and/or stigma can influence help-seeking behavior and expectations through face-to-face, semi-structured, and audiotaped interviews. The study explored a sample of 10 Nigerian immigrants lived experiences, understanding, perceptions, and stigma of mental illness and whether or not they seek psychological help. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) …

The Effects Of Communication, Knowledge Sharing, And Trust On Agile Virtual Team Effectiveness, Ivana Pino

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ongoing globalization and the evolution of technology in the workplace reinforce the need for virtual teamwork. Individuals working together across the globe comprise virtual teams. Many teams across industries value and use agile methodology to manage their projects. Research shows that agile virtual teams face challenges based on social and organizational problems such as lack of trust, knowledge sharing, and suitable communication. Therefore, this quantitative study aimed to address a gap in the current literature on the effect that communication, trust, and knowledge sharing have on agile virtual team effectiveness. Additionally, the aim was to determine the moderating effect of …

Examining Help-Seeking Attitudes In College Student-Athletes: Mental Health Literacy And Stigma, Philip Mullins, Jason Li, Jaime Scherer, Rachel Valentine

Journal of Counseling and Psychology

This study aimed to investigate the predictors of the attitudes of student-athletes toward seeking psychological help. Results from data collected from a sample of 79 college students in a Midwestern university indicated that mental health literacy, self-stigma, and public stigma combined significantly predicted attitudes toward help-seeking. However, when self-stigma and public stigma were controlled, only mental health literacy significantly predicted attitudes toward help-seeking. These findings suggest that mental health literacy is a crucial factor in predicting help-seeking behaviors among college student-athletes, and that stigma can impact help-seeking behaviors. Additionally, mental health literacy was positively correlated with attitudes toward help-seeking, indicating …

Auditory Free Classification Of Gender Diverse Speakers, Brandon Merritt, Tessa Bent, Rowan Kilgore, Cameron Eads

Departmental Papers (Speech)

Auditory attribution of speaker gender has historically been assumed to operate within a binary framework. The prevalence of gender diversity and its associated sociophonetic variability motivates an examination of how listeners perceptually represent these diverse voices. Utterances from 30 transgender (1 agender individual, 15 non-binary individuals, 7 transgender men, and 7 transgender women) and 30 cisgender (15 men and 15 women) speakers were used in an auditory free classification paradigm, in which cisgender listeners classified the speakers on perceived general similarity and gender identity. Multidimensional scaling of listeners’ classifications revealed twodimensional solutions as the best fit for general similarity classifications. …

Impact Of Covid‑19 On Food Security And Diet Quality In Chilanga District, Zambia, Shela Sridhar, Janella Kang, Joyce Makasa, Sally Bell‑Cross, Isabel Madzorera, Ethan Zulu, Davidson H. Hamer

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Introduction Food security and nutrition have been severely impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We aimed to quantify the impacts of the pandemic on food security and diet diversity within Chilanga District in Zambia and identify target areas for high-impact social protection and safety net programs.

Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study in Chilanga district immediately after the Omicron variant surge in February 2022. Diet quality and food security were assessed based on a household diet questionnaire and a Minimum Dietary Diversity-Women (MDD-W) score was calculated. A paired t-test was used to determine whether …

Animal Assisted Play Therapy® For Childhood Animal Abuse Following Exposure To Family Violence: A Case Example, Katharine Wenocur, Rise Vanfleet

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Intentional harm to nonhuman animals in childhood often correlates with histories of witnessing, experiencing, or perpetrating violence. Without appropriate intervention, children and adolescents who abuse animals following exposure to family violence risk long-term behavioral health challenges. While some treatment models have been specifically designed to reduce the risk of future violence among children displaying this behavior, interventions involving nonhuman animals represent a novel approach and show promise in addressing behavioral challenges associated with this behavior. Framed through the lens of a clinical case study, this article presents the potential benefits of implementing Animal Assisted Play Therapy® to treat symptoms of …

Stress, Anxiety, And Depression In Aerospace Students, Harley L. Waters

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

This study investigates and compares the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression among a sample of 574 undergraduate students in the Aerospace Professional Pilot concentration, Aerospace majors in concentrations other than Professional Pilot, and Non-Aerospace students at Middle Tennessee State University. This study sought to determine if Aerospace students exhibited higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. The participants of this study completed the DASS-21, a survey instrument that measures three separate constructs: depression, anxiety, and stress. The scores from this survey were used to compare depression, anxiety, and stress levels between the three groups of students using ANOVA and …

Hazardous Attitudes: A Study Identifying Mental Healthcare Avoidance Behaviors And Attitudes In A Collegiate Aviation Student Population, Harley L. Waters, Paul Mosey, Collin Mcdonald

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Mental health is a topic that has rapidly gained traction in the aerospace education community, specifically in collegiate aviation programs. Previous research has shown that college students are a population that is prone to mental health issues that can adversely affect their academic success and quality of life (Jennings et al., 2017). College students choosing to study aerospace have a unique set of stressors in addition to anxiety associated with the college experience.

The current research seeks to identify perceived barriers to mental health service utilization by the collegiate aviation student population. This study seeks to uncover students’ perceptions that …

High Times, Higher Stakes: Mental Health Impacts In New Recreational Marijuana Legal Landscape, Jason T. Lorenzon J.D., Chris Pezalla, Diana Semilia

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

This presentation delves into the societal and mental health consequences arising from the increasing trend of legalizing recreational marijuana. Specifically, we will examine the potential normalization of unconventional behavior among aviation college students, who may grapple with substance use challenges due to stress, sleep difficulties, and the demands of college life. Given the rigorous nature of flight training, prioritizing the mental well-being of pilots becomes imperative.

With the recent legalization of recreational marijuana in Ohio, this presentation integrates insights from Diana Semilia's 2022 study on Kent State Flight Students Ages 19-26. The study's objective was to extract practical recommendations applicable …

Barriers To Mental Health Seeking Among Army Aviation Personnel: A Preliminary Report, Aric J. Raus

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

This research explores barriers to mental health seeking, self-reported symptoms, and perspectives on self-help mental-wellness options among U.S. Army Aviation Personnel. Safe aviation operations require constant focus and mental clarity. These requirements expand when considering the implications and added stress of military operations, especially in combat scenarios. Yet, recent studies demonstrate that aviation personnel avoid seeking healthcare due to fears of losing their medical certification. This report provides preliminary results from the first known study on barriers to mental health seeking among U.S. Army aviation personnel. Utilizing an anonymous survey instrument, facilitated primarily through Social Media recruiting of current and …