Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Reanalyzing The Political Stability Of Britain's Democratization, Nathan R. Burton

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

A recent article in Journal of Economic History by Dasgupta and Ziblatt uses bond yields to analyze the political risk of the 19th century democratization legislation of Britain known as the Reform Acts. Dasgupta and Ziblatt find that the volatility of yields is relatively high during periods of legislation, and model the yields via GAM method, concluding that the political risk associated with the Reform Acts was high. I reproduce the study and comparing those times of 'high' volatility to all periods and find nothing to compare high-volatility periods to, suggesting that it is inconclusive whether the Reform Acts were …

A Monte Carlo Study On The Persistence Of Variance With Garch, Aristides Romero Moreno

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The GARCH model is widely used to forecast volatility for economic and financial Data. There are, however, several shortcomings of using the simple GARCH estimator alone for forecasting volatility. The major issue with the use of the default GARCH model is the persistence of variance that evolves through time and the simple GARCH model fails to address. This paper looks at the GARCH(1,1) model and consistent with Lamoureux and Lastrapes (1990), finds that it overstates the persistence of variance due to model misspecification, specifically the lack of structural shifts.

The Missing Link: Metadata Conversion Workflows For Everyone, Andrea Payant, Sara Skindelien, Liz Woolcott

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

No abstract provided.

Cache Valley Refugee Voices, Liz Woolcott

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

No abstract provided.

Exceptionally Cleared Cases In Intimate Partner Violence: A Comparison Of Same-Sex Couples Versus Heterosexual Couples, Clarice Ambler

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Most of the literature regarding intimate partner violence (IPV) focuses on heterosexual couples, with little emphasis on how same-sex couples are specifically and uniquely affected by IPV, especially in terms of how such cases are treated by the criminal justice system. The purpose of this study is to identify factors that influence the odds of intimate partner violence (IPV) cases being exceptionally cleared. This study analyzed 207,008 incidents of IPV that occurred in 2013. Using logistic regression, this study determined how weapon use, injury severity, and drug use affected the likelihood of a case being exceptionally cleared across heterosexual and …

The Opm Data Breach: Lessons Learned, Michael Wheat

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

In 2015 the federal government announced the largest data breach in United States government history. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) was hacked, and the personal information of more than 25 million American people was lost to foreign attackers. This incident has spawned concern and outrage about the security of government data in the emerging digital age.

Moving forward from the breach questions remain about how this event happened. It's clear that there were weaknesses that were taken advantage of by malicious threats abroad, and investigations into the attack have yielded surprising results. Not only was the security in place …

Barriers To Health Care Access For Refugees In Cache County, Utah, Michael Timo Hoggard

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The United States has a rich history of resettling refugees. The United States resettled hundreds of thousands of refugees at the conclusion of World War II, and has resettled more than 3 million refugees since 1975 (Refugee Council USA, 2016). A refugee is a forcibly displaced person who will not or cannot return to their country of origin because of fear of physical harm or persecution (United Nations, 1951). Refugees are distinct from other forms of immigrants in many ways: refugees do not choose their country for resettlement, they receive government assistance upon arrival, their residency and work permits are …

Trauma And Touch: Apprehension Of Touch And Relationship Quality In Survivors Of Military Sexual Trauma, Danielle Christensen

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Sexual assault is linked to poor romantic relationships but sexual assault in the military is linked to more severe outcomes than civilian assault (Surís et al., 2007).One in four women Veterans report military sexual trauma (MST; VA, nd). MST is highly correlated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and lower relationship satisfaction, which is problematic as relationship quality buffers against PTSD and dysfunction secondary to MST. Relationship quality is multidimensional and includes satisfaction with physical touch; the effects of sexual trauma on touch apprehension have not been examined in those with MST. Moreover, it is not clear whether contact MST (e.g., rape) …

The Relationship Between Adolescents' Use Of Internet-Enabled Mobile Devices And Engaging In Problematic Digital Behaviors, Ryan Atwood

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teenagers’ use of mobile Internet devices and their involvement in risky digital behaviors, including problematic Internet use, exposure to pornography, and participation in sexting. A sample of teens between the ages of 13-18 was used for this study.

It was found that teens who used smartphones as their primary source of Internet access were most likely to receive sexting requests, while teens using computers to access the Internet were most likely to intentionally view pornography. Additionally, teens who used multiple mobile devices to connect to the Internet and teens …

Three Essays On Big-Box Retailers And Regional Economics, Denis Peralta

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Throughout the years, big-box retail stores such as Wal-Mart and Target have become the focus of many studies researching their impacts on local economic outcomes (i.e. employment, wages, poverty level, food prices, etc.) within specific regions, states, counties and localities in the U.S. This dissertation covers three closely related topics in regional science: (i) the dynamic interrelationship among the presence of the big-box stores, retail wage, and employment, (ii) the impact of the big-box retailers on personal income growth, and (iii) the dynamic interrelationship between the presence of the big-box retailers and personal income growth. The research draws important insights …

An Investigation Of Clinically Significant Change Among Child And Adolescent Clients Of A Graduate-Level Training Clinic, Kerry K. Prout

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The study examined parent-reported child and adolescent outcomes for youth being seen for psychotherapy services on a measure of symptoms of distress (Youth-Outcome Questionnaire 2.01). All clients were seen for psychotherapy services by graduate-level student therapists who were currently in training at a psychology training clinic. Parents of clients completed a questionnaire to assess symptoms of distress at each psychotherapy visit and the study sought to define the trajectory of change that clients experience throughout treatment. Specifically, the study aimed to determine to what degree change in outcomes was statistically significant and meaningful for clients and on average, how many …

Benefits, Challenges, And Recommendations For Implementing A Sustainability-Based Service-Learning Program At Utah State University: An Initial Assessment Of The Community Bridge Initiative, Julie Koldewyn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Service-Learning is a method of teaching that allows students to learn course content by engaging in real world applications, which can enhance student learning and benefit communities. As populations increase, many communities struggle with the corresponding issues of sustainability. A program that could use student expertise to address these concerns would be beneficial for both students and communities. This mixed-methods study explored the benefits, challenges, and recommendations for implementing a sustainability-based service-learning program, the Community Bridge Initiative (CBI), at Utah State University (USU) in relation to community needs and student responses to being in program pilot classes. Pilot classes were …

The Intersection Of School Ethnic Composition And Structure: Predicting Social And Academic Outcomes Among Latino Students, Benjamin Pierce

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There is a persistent gap between the outcomes of Latino students and those of students from other ethnic groups in American schools. In part, this may be due to schooling practices in the American education system that have traditionally failed to cultivate positive contexts for ethnic diversity. Research studies involving focus groups, one-on-on interviews, and small samples of participants have suggested that sentiments of being unfairly treated by teachers and peers, of being stigmatized as low-achievers, and of cultural “incongruence” in schools are common among Latino students. However, quantitative studies involving large samples and sophisticated statistical techniques have produced few …

The Impact Of Social Comparisons On Stereotype Threat For Black College Students Attending Predominantly White Colleges And Universities, Odessia Knowles

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Despite increasing college enrollment rates for Black individuals, college completion rates remain dismal, thus the achievement gap between Black and White students remains in effect. One reason which may contribute to low completion rates for Black college students is stereotype threat. Stereotype threat is when an individual is at risk of confirming a negative stereotype about their group membership. For Blacks attending college, the threat would be related to academic underachievement. However, the impact of stereotype threat is highly individualized and an individual’s Black racial identity may impact stereotype threat for certain individuals.

Social comparison theory suggests that to gain …

Socialization Of Respeto In Immigrant Mexican Families, Marsha Tafoya

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Respeto is a cultural value considered to be essential in Latina/o families. Latina/o parents endorse respeto as being an important to teaching to their children. Mental health professionals argue that it is important to understand cultural values in delivering appropriate and relevant services to ethnic and culturally diverse clients. Some experts argue that such focus on cultural context also improves the effectiveness of interventions. The current study examined the cultural value of respeto in immigrant Mexican parents with a child between 4 and 9 years of age. Two scales were developed to examine the behavioral displays of respeto in boys …

From Crisis To Crisis: A Big Data, Antenarrative Analysis Of How Social Media Users Make Meaning During And After Crisis Events, Adam R. Bair

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Crisis events are now common, ranging from computer errors, which might cause only minor inconvenience, to floods, which can cause loss of life and significant property damage. Such events can affect people’s ability to pay bills, trust food sources, or deal with events that could impact the environment and lives for decades. Understanding how crisis information is presented to audiences, how these audiences interpret and respond to a crisis will help researchers develop new approaches to improve communication among and with people affected by crisis.

To understand how individuals make sense of crisis events, I applied David Boje’s theories and …

Amor De Cerca: Positive Involvement In Latino Families, Michelle L. Varón

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Behavioral parenting interventions are widely implemented to address externalizing behaviors in children. The majority of these types of interventions address the relationship between the parents and their children in order provide a strong foundation, from which to implement discipline, and subsequently modify problem behaviors.

The objective of this study was to examine the ability of ratios and intervals of parental behaviors, to predict levels of externalizing behaviors in children. Due to the increasing number of Latinos in the U.S. as well as the need to have culturally informed interventions, the current study examined exclusively Latino families. This study provided further …

Lived Experience Of Young Widowed Individuals, Eunicia Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Young widowhood is a unique experience that has received little in-depth attention in research and clinical settings. Their experiences may differ from other types of losses, particularly from losses that are typically expected to happen later in life. The present study treated the lived experiences of young men and women who have experiences the loss of a spouse. Eleven men and women between the ages of 18 and 49 were interviewed about their experiences post-loss using phenomenological methods. After coding for similarities and differences between the experiences, five themes emerged in all eleven interviews: (1) relationship, (2) first reactions, (3) …

Diversity-Related Experiences And Academic Performance Among Ethnic Minority College Students, Amanda K. Blume

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Students of color experience numerous educational disadvantages compared to White students. These disadvantages begin in elementary school and continue into college and adulthood. Ethnic minority students typically have less resources available to them than White students and are typically less prepared for college—academically and financially. Once students of color enroll in college, they face additional barriers due to discrimination and negative attitudes towards diversity. These factors play a key role in student engagement and persistence. The campus racial climate of a university, defined as the overall racial environment of the campus, has been shown to strongly influence students’ feelings of …

The Association Between Shared Values And Well-Being Among Married Couples, Travis G. Parry

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The primary objective of this research study was to examine the shared values and marital well-being of married couples and to see if there was a relationship between these variables. A secondary purpose of this study was to examine the marital well-being variables (financial stability, marital happiness, individual well-being) and see if there were relationships between these variables when analyzed simultaneously.

This study found a positive relationship between several shared values and the marital happiness and individual well-being variables of material well-being. However, no shared values were related to financial stability. The study did find positive relationships between all martial …

Educational Experiences And Goals Of Homeless Youth And Barriers To Reaching These Goals, Rachel Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The cost of homelessness is high, not only in terms of the array of traumatic experiences of those who are homeless, but in monetary terms for society as a whole. It costs between $20,000 and $40,000 annually for one homeless individual to cycle through public service systems such as emergency rooms, jail, mental health care facilities, and shelters. This annual cost can add up quickly with long periods of homelessness. For half of homeless youth (age 14-24), homelessness will not end during adolescence. Lack of steady employment is one of the largest barriers for youth experiencing homelessness to become permanently …

Family And Center Childcare Providers: Correlates Among Mathematics Anxiety/Attitudes Toward Mathematics, Teacher Self-Efficacy, And Other Factors, Shawnee M. Hendershot

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Previous experiences with mathematics, particularly negative ones, can influence an individual’s attitudes toward mathematics. Children’s first experiences with mathematics are often in their childcare settings. Elementary teachers appear to have more mathematics anxiety than other professionals, but the level of mathematics anxiety among childcare providers is not known. The presence of mathematics anxiety correlates with lower teacher self-efficacy or the teacher’s belief of how effective he/she is in influencing a student’s learning. Grounded in Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, this study examined the level of mathematics anxiety and teacher self-efficacy among 122 licensed Utah childcare providers in center and family home …

Family And Consumer Sciences Teacher Needs Assessment Of A Stem-Enhanced Food And Nutrition Sciences Curriculum, Cathy A. Merrill

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Career and Technical Education (CTE) has long taught abstract science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts in contextualized settings. In 2014, a new CTE Food and Nutrition Sciences curriculum was written by a pilot group of CTE family and consumer sciences teachers, enhancing the STEM education teaching opportunities available in a food and nutrition course. This study is a teacher needs assessment of the implementation of the new STEM-enhanced curriculum.

The curriculum objectives were measured for perceived importance and self-perceived ability to teach by the teachers. Curriculum feedback, educational background and general demographics were also gathered. The curriculum objectives data …

The Role Of Sexual Communication In Committed Relationships, Adam C. Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In this Master's thesis, I describe a study to understand the role that sexual communication plays within committed couple relationships. I used data from a sample of 142 couples who completed an online survey consisting of a battery of quantitative assessments measuring relationship satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, communication processes, and sexual communication.

Through path analysis, a statistical tool that tests relationships between variables, I observed the impact that sexual communication has within couple relationships. In my findings, I highlight the differences between the "what" and "how" behind couples' communications about sex. I examined these findings by gender and found important differences …

Qualities That Influence Guardian Ad Litem Effectiveness, Ilana Kornfeld

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The use of Guardians ad Litem (GALs) in child abuse and neglect cases has become increasingly common throughout the world. It has, in fact, become standard procedure in child welfare proceedings in the United States. GALs are charged with presenting children's best interests in court and ensuring that each child has a voice in the process. Ideally, GALs are consistently effective in doing so. However, GALs have extremely high caseloads that potentially limit the time they can spend with their children. In addition, little research has been done on what qualities make an effective GAL. Knowing what qualities increase GAL …

Domestic Violence In Mass Media: An Analysis Of Messages, Images, & Meanings In Motion Pictures, Renee Liana Delcambre

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The overarching goal of this research was to discover the framing strategies employed within depictions of domestic abuse and/or violence through mass media outlets and what potential impact that can have on the audience, particularly in assigning meaning to the topic. Specifically, this research analyzed the choices made in how domestic abuse/violence is framed within four popular motion pictures and the subsequent messages and meanings communicated. Findings from this qualitative analysis reveal common depictions of fictional victims being young, beautiful, naïve, and fully responsible for ending the abuse. In contrast, fictional abusers are depicted as young, handsome, wealthy and/or in …

Effects Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy On Impulsive Decision Making, Kate L. Morrison

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

For some people, decision making is more often influenced by immediate gratification, rather than what is best for them in the long term. This study intended to change how those people made decisions, in order to help them live meaningful lives. This was done through eight sessions of a treatment called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; in comparison to no treatment). Forty adults were randomly assigned to either treatment or a no treatment control. The treatment did not change the way people responded on the decision making measures, although the treatment reduced problematic behaviors and obstacles to living a meaningful …

A Light In The Dark: Luminescence Dating Intermountain Ware Ceramics From Four Archaeological Sites In Northwestern Wyoming, Carlie J. Ideker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The chronology of high-altitude archaeological sites in northwestern Wyoming is poorly understood due to limited reliable age constraints. While temporally diagnostic artifacts provide relative age control, fluctuations in atmospheric radiocarbon produce radiocarbon age results with multiple calibrated age-range intercepts that prove difficult to interpret. Age overestimates associated with the 'old wood' problem can be especially prominent at high-altitude sites where cold and semi-arid environments promote the presence of long-living trees and prolong the preservation of organic material. Moreover, regional droughts coupled with a pine beetle epidemic have resulted in increasing wildfire frequency and intensities that serve both as a benefit …

The Effect Of Weight On The Perceptions Of And Attitudes Toward Individuals With Anorexia Nervosa, Allison E. White

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A large body of research has shown that stigmatizing attitudes toward individuals with mental illness are widespread and prevalent. Fewer studies have focused on stigma toward eating disorders, in general, and even less have focused on the stigma of anorexia nervosa (AN), specifically. Preliminary research indicates that AN may be both stigmatizing and admired, but the factors contributing to the perception of AN has not been adequately studied. To date, researchers have yet to examine the role of body size in the perception of and attitudes toward individuals with AN. By showing participants one of three female figures varying only …

The Effects Of Federal, State, And Private Oil And Gas Ownerships On County Wages In The Intermountain West, Benjamin A. Crabb

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Advances in drilling technology and resource prices contributed to a boom in oil and natural gas production in the Western U.S. in the first decade of the 2000s. Following the boom, a strain of state-level legislation emerged calling for the transfer of federal lands to the states. A justification for the proposed transfers is the claim that state management will increase oil and gas production, resulting in improved economic outcomes. However, a substantial literature indicates that dependence on mineral wealth can be a problematic development strategy which may result in slower economic growth and other undesirable socioeconomic outcomes. The role …