Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Development And Cross-Validation Of Personality Assessment Inventory Decision Rules For The Identification Of Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures, Chelsea Marie Bosch

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The published literature on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) for psychogenic nonepileptic seizure (PNES) diagnosis includes a variety of interpretation methods to distinguish PNES from epileptic seizures (ES) and offers mixed findings. The purpose of this study was to use a cross-validation approach to create and derive new decision rules for the PAI to best differentiate PNES from ES. Data from 773 patients (PNES n = 328, ES n = 445) who underwent long-term video EEG (vEEG) monitoring and completed a PAI were examined. Individuals with invalid PAI profiles were removed, and patients were randomly assigned to the “development” group …

Sexual Orientation And Gender Expression As Predictors Of Sogie-Based Harassment, Michelle Tam

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The current study examined which individuals are most at risk for becoming targets of SOGIE-based harassment (specifically, White, male sexual minorities or White, male gender nonconforming individuals). The study also explored potential motivations behind SOGIE-based harassment (specifically, violations of normality and violations of morality) and whether these motivations are predicted by individual differences (specifically, sexual prejudice, beliefs in heteronormativity, tolerance of ambiguity, and adherence to gender norms). College students (n = 206; 67.5% female) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions, each with a different male target (straight/gender conforming, straight/gender nonconforming, gay/gender conforming, gay/gender nonconforming). Students saw a …

Assessing The Temporal Relationship Between Changes In Neuroticism And Symptom Improvement In The Unified Protocol, Nicole Stumpp

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Neuroticism is defined as the tendency to experience frequent and intense negative emotions accompanied by the belief that one could not cope adequately in response to stress. Neuroticism is associated with the development and maintenance of a range of emotional disorders (e.g., anxiety disorders, depression) and targeting this trait in treatment (rather than symptoms) may represent a more efficient approach to care. However, researchers have rarely measured neuroticism and symptoms frequently enough to establish temporal precedence between these dimensions. The present study is a secondary analysis that examined the temporal relationship between neuroticism and anxiety and depressive symptoms during a …

Mental Health In The Courtroom: How Victim Mental Illness Impacts Juror Decision-Making In A Rape Case, Mary M. Levi

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The influence of mental illness on jury decision-making has rarely been investigated, and even fewer studies have examined how jurors perceive a victim with mental illness. The present study investigated the effect of victim mental illness on jury decision-making in a rape trial using a 3 (victim mental health status: schizophrenia, depression, no illness) x 2 (participant gender: female, male) between-subjects design. I hypothesized that mock jurors would render fewer guilty verdicts in the schizophrenia condition compared to the depression condition, and render fewer guilty verdicts in the schizophrenia and depression conditions compared to the control. I also hypothesized that …

Investigating Mechanisms Of Injury And Intervention In A Novel In Vitro Model Of Traumatic Brain Injury In Organotypic Hippocampal Slice Cultures, Julia Elaine Jagielo-Miller

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) impact millions of individuals each year and can pose long term consequences. Despite numerous attempts, no medication has been approved by the FDA to treat TBIs. The causes of these failed trials are multifaceted, but in part can be attributed to the complex nature of TBIs, as well as a lack of sufficient pre-clinical data. In vitro models of TBI are an important tool to help understand the cellular changes seen following the injury, in a highly controlled environment. For the following experiments, a novel model of TBI was used to injure organotypic hippocampal slice cultures, …

The Measurement Of Product Typicality In Design Research. A Basic And Applied Approach, Travis Kent

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The objective of this study was to examine the use of the cognitive construct of “typicality” to guide design decisions in the development of consumer products. Increasing products that will appeal to consumers, designers strive to balance novelty and familiarity. A potential way to thread this needle is to understand how “typical” a design is of its particular product category. The construct of typicality has been used by psychologists to understand how people create and represent categories. Objects that are more typical of a category are often associated with positive responses from observes (e.g., greater visual appeal, faster recognition). In …

Experiential-Based Feedback During Alcohol Intoxication And Its Effect On Drinkers’ Risk Awareness, Alexandra R. Kelly

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The prevalence of alcohol-impaired driving injuries and fatalities has not decreased for over a decade despite strategies to reduce and prevent driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). In 2019, 10,142 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in the United States, which totaled to 28% of all traffic fatalities for the year. DUI interventions have been found to have moderate effects on reducing DUI recidivism. Prevention research has identified a lack of risk awareness in DUI offenders and this could be a target to motivate behavioral change. However, the training to increase levels of risk awareness needs to occur in …

Turning The Tides: An Inoculation Theory And Theory Of Planned Behavior Approach To Developing Mental Health Help-Seeking Interventions For Gen Z, Sarah Ann Geegan

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Extensive research, predating and during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrates the rising prevalence of anxiety and depression among Gen Z college students in the United States—findings which are accompanied by rising rates of suicide, the second leading cause of death among people aged 15-24. Although college campuses often offer mental health resources, the number of college students utilizing them is significantly less than the number of students reporting mental health challenges. A dearth of empirical evidence, focused on Gen Z specifically, exists as a basis for developing interventions to address this issue. This investigation addressed this gap through two component studies. …

Communicating Individual And Collective Mindfulness: Understanding Listening And Sensechecking At Work, Leanna Hartsough

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations made workplace changes, which added an additional challenge to employees’ communication. However, mindfulness may help members strengthen their workplace interactions. Mindfulness is an intentional open awareness to the present moment (Shapiro, 2009). The theoretical framework of collective mindfulness includes organizational mindfulness, which is mindfulness from a top-down approach and mindful organizing, which is a bottom-up approach to mindfulness at work. This dissertation extends research on collective mindfulness by including listening, individual mindfulness aspects, and sensemaking to examine how collective mindfulness members make meaning of changes due to COVID-19. I observed 26 meetings and interviewed …

Is This Going To Be The End? Understanding Problematic Integration Among Appalachian Patients In Colorectal Cancer Screening Navigation, Audrey Smith Bachman

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is preventable through regular screening; however, incidence and mortality rates in Appalachia are among the highest in the United States. Public health programs and interventions meant to mitigate the higher CRC burden and increase screening rates are ongoing in the U.S. and Appalachia. In continuing the efforts to reduce the burden of CRC in Appalachian communities, this dissertation uses a two-part study to investigate communication practices relative to problematic integration and health beliefs in CRC screening conversations from the perspective of both patients and patient navigators in the region. As part of efforts directed by the Rural …

The Influence Of Sociopolitical Factors On Adolescents’ And Youths’ Development, Banafsheh Aghayeeabianeh

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Youths and adolescents are one of the major perpetrators of antisocial and deviant behaviors, which have deleterious consequences for both the perpetrators and society. Although there is extensive literature on youth and adolescent antisocial behavior, some correlates of youth antisociality are not known yet. As such, the present study is devoted to understanding the micro- and macro-level predictors of youth and adolescents’ antisociality in three contexts. Three empirical studies applying bioecological systems theory and analyzing data from the International Dating Violence database using Mixed Effects Models were conducted to investigate the ecology of the development of antisocial behaviors among youth. …

Speaking Of Home Here And There: Everyday Experiences Of Belonging Among Highly Educated Immigrants, Katherine Feske-Kirby

Theses and Dissertations--Geography

This thesis explores how highly educated immigrants articulate a sense of belonging upon relocating to the United States, more specifically to the Lexington, KY area. Engaging with feminist political geography as well as migration and cultural studies, I argue that articulations of belonging are framed through transnational attachments, which respectively expand individuals’ ability to employ everyday forms of belonging. Expressions and understandings of transnational belonging are framed through in-depth interviews on participants’ workplace, relational dynamics, and engagement with the geopolitical discourse on migration. Through these interviews, a broader representation belonging is presented, while questions on highly educated immigrants’ privilege and …

Choral Music Educator Pedagogies For Multilingual Learner Inclusion: A Critical Multiple Case Study, Austin Cole Norrid

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Multilingual learners are the fastest growing student population in US public schools. The purpose of this critical multiple case study was to discover three music teachers’ and one Multilingual Learner resource teacher’s perspectives on the strengths and areas of growth in pedagogies for teaching Multilingual Learners in choral music ensembles. Common areas of strength included: student-centered learning, culturally responsive teaching, and positive classroom environment. Common areas of growth were: multilingual teaching strategies, knowledge of diverse repertoire, community and culture, and multilingual learner empowerment.

Introduction To Data Science, Spencer P. Greenhalgh

Information Science Textbook Gallery

This book was developed for ICT/LIS 661: Introduction to Data Science, as offered in the University of Kentucky's School of Information Science. It adapts and expands on openly licensed materials to introduce readers to basic statistical concepts, the R programming language, and philosophical critique of data science.

This open access textbook was supported by the University of Kentucky Libraries Alternative Textbook program

The (Millennial) Times, They Are A’Changin’: Understanding Gen Z’S Expectations In The Classroom, Hayley C. Hoffman

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Drawing from over a decade of research, it can be said with relative certainty what millennial learners expected of their instructors when they were in the college classroom. But what about the expectations and needs of our current group of students, Generation Z? Because few studies exist on Gen Z in higher education spaces, this dissertation establishes a baseline of what these students might need and expect from market and generational research on this group of students and establishes expectancy violations theory as a sound theoretical base for instructional research. This dissertation’s longitudinal, two-phase study, then, seeks to determine Gen …

A Content Analysis Of Reddit Comments Discussing Fibroadenoma Appraisal And Decision Making, Hayley Marie Kay Stahl

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Though fibroadenomas are clinically benign in most cases, clinical research suggests that these lesions can cause diagnosis-related physical health complications and psychological distress. However, this research is limited and should be investigated further. Thus, this study aimed to explore how patients appraise their fibroadenoma diagnosis uncertainty. Additionally, this study sought to determine if a correlation existed between appraisal and decision making as well as identify the factors that influence the most common treatment decision: removal. Data was retrieved from Reddit discussions for a content analysis. These discussions were then qualitatively analyzed using codebooks associated with this study’s research questions. Findings …

Coordinating Boundaries And Negotiating Mental Health Diagnoses And Disclosure: An Exploration Of Stigma And Communication Privacy Management, Paige Anne Von Feldt

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

For quite some time, researchers have tried to reduce stigma and misconceptions about individuals diagnosed with a mental illness. Researchers have examined stigma towards individuals diagnosed with a mental illness, and the internalized stigma that can result. Additionally, researchers have analyzed the dialectical push and pull that occurs between privacy and confidentiality for self-disclosures. Past research has explored disclosure of a mental illness in the context of family members, psychiatrists, employers, friends, and in academic settings. However, there is a lack of research examining how risk perceptions are affected by internalized stigma, thus impacting young adults’ intentions to disclose their …

From Fear To Action: Exploring The Role Of Emotion During Imminent Threat Events Using The Extended Parallel Process Model, Michele K. Olson

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

The extended parallel process model (EPPM) is a popular health and risk communication theory that explicates the relationship between perceived threat, perceived efficacy, fear, and adaptive and maladaptive responses. This study examines the EPPM in an imminent threat context and focuses on how warning message content influences EPPM perceptions and how these perceptions, in turn, influence both protective action and information seeking intentions.

The first objective of this study focuses on applying the EPPM to an imminent threat context by designing EPPM informed tornado and flash flood warning messages. After message pretesting with 42 undergraduate students, 312 undergraduate students completed …

The Influence Of Linguistic Style: A Matched-Guise Experiment Assessing The Effects Of Source Accent, Argument Quality, And Issue Involvement On Persuasion, Sean Goatley-Soan

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

For decades, persuasion researchers have demonstrated that under certain conditions, the success of a persuasive appeal depends, at least in part, on perceptions of a source (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986; Wilson & Sherrell, 1993). In the same way, a person’s linguistic style, such as their accent, has been shown to have a powerful impact on listeners’ judgments (Dragojevic et al., 2018). However, despite many real-world persuasive settings requiring an oral component, the impact of a source’s accent on persuasion outcomes has received comparatively little empirical attention (Hosman, 2002). Moreover, few of the existing investigations use well-established theories of persuasion to …

Authentically Advocating: Public Relations' Role In Social Issues Management, Gabrielle Leigh Dudgeon

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Now more than ever, organizations utilize public relations to build, maintain, and even strengthen relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Many public relations strategies and tactics serve to bridge an organization’s interests with those of their publics, while also building, maintaining, and strengthening trust. Social issues management is one of the tools that has the potential to build long-term trust and commitment. Public relations practitioners have recognized this opportunity, and most engage in social issues management in a variety of ways to strengthen their organizations while also contributing to society (Fall, 2006). This double-edge tool can create long- lasting impact …

"I Dreamt Of Home": U.S. Veterans' Representations Of Wartime Experiences, Brenna Foley

Theses and Dissertations--Geography

This thesis employs several books from the Veterans Book Project, focusing on the stories of white male veterans of the Iraq War. I analyze these books through the lenses of banal nationalism, masculinity, feminist political geography and embodiment. Using archival and visual methods, I analyze how these books reproduce imperial logics and what this suggests about the veterans’ role in the everyday realities of war. Through analysis of these books, I examine the representation of the veterans’ wartime experiences and the reconstruction of veterans’ identities. This research seeks to understand how personal narratives reproduce imperial projects and colonialism through discourse …

‘I Went To The One Game In Town’: Obstetric And Maternity Unit Closures, Dwindling Birth Choices, And Resilience In Rural Appalachia, Sia Beasley

Theses and Dissertations--Anthropology

Obstetric and maternity health services are being rapidly eliminated in the rural United States, making maternal care more difficult to access and causing negative birth outcomes. Service closures have a magnified impact in Appalachia due to histories of systemic regional and state policy practices which devalue the lives of people living rural areas, local economic marginalization, geographic barriers, and insufficient health infrastructures. This research investigates how women living in rural Appalachia navigate pregnancy and birth amidst constant care closures. The Sunflower Mountain Region is a seven-county area in rural Southern Appalachia. The region has experienced ongoing obstetric closures over the …

Three Essays On Food Safety And Private Food Safety Certifications, Lijiao Hu

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

In the first essay, we provide a comprehensive literature review of the market of private food safety standards. Since the inception of private food safety standards in the late 1990s, producers, processors, retailers, and governments have been increasingly relying on them to provide assurances to food safety. This article first develops a conceptual framework for the market of private food safety standards through the lens of agri-food supply chain logistics, outlining how the key players in the market interact and classifying these interactions into fifteen categories. Second, we classify and review studies based on the interactions identified. Our review supports …

Quantifying Crop Phenology For Food Sustainability Under Climate Change: Integration Of Remote Sensing, Machine Learning, And Ecosystem Modeling, Yanjun Yang

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Climate change is projected to continue and accelerate significantly in the future if global greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed. Previous studies have shown that crop growth and production in agroecosystems are primarily determined by the weather conditions over the growing season. Crop phenology represents one of the most critical indicators in determining crop yield and adjusting the adaptation of crops to climate change. It provides essential information for monitoring and modeling crop growth dynamics and productivity. Therefore, understanding and quantifying the impacts of climate change on crop phenology and then agricultural production is crucial to formulate feasible climatic adaptation …

How To Live Life All The Way Up Learning Life Skills From Literary Characters, Sue N. Mize

Theses and Dissertations--English

In this essay, using the theories of psychiatrist, Eric Berne and his script theory; psychoanalyst, Carl Jung and his archetypes and mandalas; as well as the Native American Medicine Wheel; and the Hindu notion of the kundalini, I analyze the psychological development of Adele Quested of E.M. Forster’s A Passage to India (1924) and Anna Wulf of Doris Lessing’s The Golden Notebook (1962). Adela Quested goes to India seeking the real India and while engaging the archetype of the Lover discovers her real Self. While in India she metaphorically walks the Medicine Wheel and discovers that to be …

Safety In The Woods: Studying The Effectiveness Of The Kentucky Master Logger Program, Austin Winn Leake

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Logging is a dangerous field; in this study the researcher looks to see the knowledge both before and after professional loggers participate in the Kentucky Master Logger Program. This information was used to see the overall effectiveness of the Kentucky Master Logger Program. The researcher found an overall improvement in logging professionals’ perceptions and understanding of logging safety. The researcher recommends creating an emphasis on a safe work culture through safety incentives and a greater focus on less used personal protective equipment such as insecticide

The Resiliency And Thriving Of Underrepresented Agricultural Educators: A National Mixed Methods Study, Caleb Michael Hickman

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Gay men in agricultural education do not have comprehensive support within the agricultural education profession. When gay men decide to become agriculture educators, they often keep their identity private. This national mixed methods study aims to seek if gay agriculture educators are resilient and thrive in rural communities. The thriving elements of spiritual influence, personal competence, peer support, and family cohesion were surveyed and analyzed using a resiliency lens. Findings include gay male agricultural educators thriving in a heteronormative profession. Recommendations include ensuring LGBTQIA+ teachers have a voice in agricultural education.

Exploring The Relationship Between Place Attachment And Attitudes Toward Tourism Development In Powell County, Lindsay Vance

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

This study explores the relationship between Powell County, Kentucky residents’ place attachment, and the perceived sociocultural, environmental, and financial benefits of the future Warrior’s Path development. A survey consisting primarily of five-point Likert scale questions was shared with several local organizations to distribute to their members. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient and Chi-square test of independence tests were used to discover any correlation between place attachment and perceived sociocultural, environmental, and financial benefits of tourism development. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r=.465) determined a moderate positive correlation between place attachment and perceived sociocultural benefits of the Warrior’s Path and tourism development. Of …

Appalachians’ Intentions To Use Online And In-Person Counseling, Jade Hollan

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Appalachians face higher rates of mental health concerns, yet they are less likely to have access to quality treatment. Online counseling, counseling using videoconferencing technology, may provide a viable solution to narrow this gap. However, little is known about Appalachians’ intention to use in-person or online counseling. This study examined Appalachians’ (N = 490) intentions to use online and in-person counseling using the theoretical framework of Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB; Ajzen, 1991). Results from structural equation modeling supported the indirect model for online and in-person counseling, where the associations between distal help-seeking factors (i.e., self-stigma, perceived stigma of …

“Don’T Feel Like You Have To Do This All On Your Own”: Exploring Perceived Partner Support Of Breastfeeding Among Black Women In Kentucky, Jardin Dogan

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Background: Partner support improves breastfeeding initiation and continuation among mothers. However, few studies have explored partner support for breastfeeding among Black women living in the southeastern U.S., who report the lowest rates nationally of breastfeeding compared to women of other racial groups. Ways to increase support of Black women’s breastfeeding may be best understood from an Afrocentric perspective.

Research Aim: This qualitative study aimed to explore perceptions of partner support among Black mothers to abductively develop a culturally relevant framework of partner support to improve their rates of breastfeeding. Our research question was, “What partner support behaviors do Black …