Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Masters Theses

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 91 - 120 of 4936

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Role In Supporting Students’ Mental Health Needs, Rachael Mcdonough Jan 2024

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Role In Supporting Students’ Mental Health Needs, Rachael Mcdonough

Masters Theses

Mental health issues are highly prevalent among children and adolescents and have recently increased in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence shows a research to practice gap in the area of mental health practices and interventions in schools. As teachers are frontline gatekeepers for identifying mental health issues in students, it is important to understand current teachers' perspectives regarding their role, knowledge, and training. Thus, the current study sought to explore teachers’ perceptions regarding their role in supporting student mental health needs and the barriers that may prevent them from doing so. In the current study, general and special …


“What Planet Are You On” - Making Meaning Of Sustainability Through Storytelling, Nancy T. Ladeinde Jan 2024

“What Planet Are You On” - Making Meaning Of Sustainability Through Storytelling, Nancy T. Ladeinde

Masters Theses

The term “Sustainability” has come to stay as it is deeply integrated into our everyday life, although it seems complex to understand and engage with. The purpose of this thesis is to know how Unilever, a global consumer goods organization, makes meaning of its sustainability efforts. The method used to achieve this is a thematic analysis of Unilever’s campaign “What Planet Are You On?” a brand campaign documenting their sustainability efforts. Building on storytelling as a theoretical framework, it delves into the strategic use of stories as a communication tool for sustainability efforts, emphasizing its impact on brand narrative, stakeholder …


Investigating Sleep Education Criteria In Illinois Public Schools And Its Alignment With Evidence-Based Practices, Bayleigh T. Pasley Jan 2024

Investigating Sleep Education Criteria In Illinois Public Schools And Its Alignment With Evidence-Based Practices, Bayleigh T. Pasley

Masters Theses

The purpose of the current study was to examine high school health curricula regarding sleep prevention and intervention practices and whether instructional content aligned with best practice for this age group. Specifically, the Primary Investigator and her thesis chair developed the Sleep Education and Preventative Practices Checklist/Questionnaire (SEPPC and SEPPQ) as tools to evaluate the sleep content covered in different public high schools across Illinois. The SEPPC and SEPPQ were identical in that they contained 17 different items which looked at different sleep topics reviewed by current literature. The SEPPC/Q contained two main topics: adolescent sleep knowledge (11 topics/items) and …


The Effect Of School Uniforms On High School Students’ Feelings About School And Their Communities, Maggie Vavrik Jan 2024

The Effect Of School Uniforms On High School Students’ Feelings About School And Their Communities, Maggie Vavrik

Masters Theses

What you wear can feel like a defining aspect of who you are as a person. For high schoolers especially, how they look on the outside, can affect other factors such as their sense of belonging and safety both within their school and their community. In this study, I conducted focus groups at a high school which requires uniforms to be worn. Through the focus groups, I was able to learn how wearing a uniform impacted them on a daily basis. During the study I was also able to observe at the school for a day and note the trends …


The Construct Validity Of The Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales, Second Edition (Rias-2) And The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale Of Intelligence, Second Edition (Wasi-Ii), Cristen J. Rozek Jan 2024

The Construct Validity Of The Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales, Second Edition (Rias-2) And The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale Of Intelligence, Second Edition (Wasi-Ii), Cristen J. Rozek

Masters Theses

This study is designed to assess the relationship between two brief intelligence tests, the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales-Second Edition (RIAS-2; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2015) and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence-Second Edition (WASI-II; Wechsler, 2011), through evaluating their ability to similarly measure intellectual skills. These two tests measure an individual’s overall general intelligence. Both tests are able to assess individuals aged 6-90. The WASI-II publisher specified this test was only a screener while the RIAS-2 is not. Tests like the RIAS-2 and WASI-II are more time efficient allowing more time to be spent on other professional responsibilities. Manuals from both …


Replication Of Construct Validity Of The Behavior Assessment System For Children-Third Edition Teacher Rating Scales (Basc-3 Trs) And The Adjustment Scales For Children And Adolescents (Asca), Joel Katla Jan 2024

Replication Of Construct Validity Of The Behavior Assessment System For Children-Third Edition Teacher Rating Scales (Basc-3 Trs) And The Adjustment Scales For Children And Adolescents (Asca), Joel Katla

Masters Theses

Behavior rating scales, such as the Behavior Assessment Scale for Children-Third Edition Teacher Rating Scale Child form and the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA) are common tools to help school psychologists identify and assess problematic behaviors and youth psychopathology. However, the original BASC, the BASC-2, and the BASC-3 have little replication research available. The ASCA, while now having potentially outdated norms, has had replication research conducted and is considered empirically sound. Burback (2020) empirically compared the BASC-3 TRS-C with the ASCA to assess construct validity (convergent, discriminant, divergent) since there were no published studies replicating research presented in …


Student Perceptions Of Teacher Praise: Considering Diversity, Kealie S. Jenkins Jan 2024

Student Perceptions Of Teacher Praise: Considering Diversity, Kealie S. Jenkins

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to expand the praise preference literature by considering student diversity. Specifically, students (grades 7-12) acceptability and preferences for praise and reprimand were assessed while considering the following: (a) White/ Non-White, (b) Rural/ Suburban, (c) Special Education/ General Education, and (d) Low SES/ Middle-High SES. Students’ acceptability and preferences for praise and reprimand were collected through the Adolescent Praise and Reprimand Preference Survey (APRPS). A total of 1125 students completed the APRPS. Regardless of diverse group comparisons (except Low SES and Middle/High SES) the top three preferences across (schoolwork and appropriate behavior) all groups included …


Emailed Support For Implementation Fidelity: The Effects Of Email Prompts On Teacher Use Of Bsp, Kathryn Krouse Jan 2024

Emailed Support For Implementation Fidelity: The Effects Of Email Prompts On Teacher Use Of Bsp, Kathryn Krouse

Masters Theses

This study sought to expand the literature on the effects of emailed implementation support on teachers’ use of behavior specific praise. The effects of the intervention on select student outcomes were also observed. Participants were four early elementary school teachers that sought support for implementing research-based classroom management practices. A concurrent A-B-C-D multiple-probe design was utilized to observe changes in the teachers’ behavior specific praise and correction frequencies and their students’ on-task and disruptive behaviors when didactic training, email prompting, and email performance feedback were introduced in separate phases. The results indicated that three of the four participants increased their …


Covid-19 Pandemic And College Students’ Mental Health: Vulnerability And Resilience Factors, Jensyn Morrison Jan 2024

Covid-19 Pandemic And College Students’ Mental Health: Vulnerability And Resilience Factors, Jensyn Morrison

Masters Theses

The world became quickly and suddenly consumed by the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020. Topics such as stay-at-home orders, isolation from society, and social distancing became trending discussion themes in news coverage and daily conversations. The present study aimed to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of college students. Specifically, a total of 123 students from a rural Midwest university and an urban Southeast university in the United States participated in an online survey that assessed COVID-19-related vulnerability and resilience factors (e.g., employment status, living situation, religious beliefs, previous diagnosis, and vaccination status of individuals) …


Exploring International Graduate Students’ Internship Experiences In The Usa: A Case Of Eastern Illinois University Students, Wale Ishola Jan 2024

Exploring International Graduate Students’ Internship Experiences In The Usa: A Case Of Eastern Illinois University Students, Wale Ishola

Masters Theses

International graduate students in the United States begin their academic journey with the goal of professional growth, but they frequently struggle to secure internships due to bureaucratic barriers and competitive marketplaces. This study explores Eastern Illinois University's international graduate students' experiences through the perspective of sensemaking theory, with the goal of understanding how they make sense of the internship process. In-depth qualitative interviews with ten students revealed that students make sense of their internships in two ways: on one end, the struggles, and on the on the other end, how they are strengthening. Through sensemaking, students analyze and adapt to …


Self-Reported Multicultural Teaching Knowledge Of K-12 Teachers, Ailish Raftery Jan 2024

Self-Reported Multicultural Teaching Knowledge Of K-12 Teachers, Ailish Raftery

Masters Theses

Research continues to show that students who belong to racial and/or ethnic minority groups face a variety of challenges at school, such as disproportionate rates of drop out, behavioral problems, exclusionary discipline practices, absenteeism, placement in special education, and more. These challenges are thought to contribute to the academic achievement gap between White and racial/ethnic minority students throughout the American public school system. Therefore, it is important to assess the multicultural teaching competence of American teachers and investigate barriers to improving culturally responsive teaching practices. Past research has investigated teachers’ multicultural teaching competence, but fewer compared general and special education …


Effective Communication Strategy During Crisis: A Case Of The 2010 Toyota Recall Crisis, Masud Mensah Jan 2024

Effective Communication Strategy During Crisis: A Case Of The 2010 Toyota Recall Crisis, Masud Mensah

Masters Theses

Crisis communication is an integral part of public relations and organizational management at large involving the timely and strategic sharing of information during a crisis or emergency. Its primary purpose is to ensure that organizations effectively manage and minimize the negative impact of the crisis on their operations and stakeholders, which invariably helps to maintain trust, credibility and restore their reputation. Based on an interpretivist standpoint, the study utilizes qualitative approaches and takes the form of a case study. It offers a comprehensive account of the crisis, including key occurrences, media representation, and public responses, showcasing its international impact via …


Navigating Campus Climate: Microaggressions And Microaffirmations Impacting Trans* College Students On College Campuses, Chas Figueroa Jan 2024

Navigating Campus Climate: Microaggressions And Microaffirmations Impacting Trans* College Students On College Campuses, Chas Figueroa

Masters Theses

This study explored the microaggressions and microaffirmations that transgender college students experienced on their campus. The study looked at the impact those experiences had on transgender student perspectives regarding inclusivity on campus. With the population of out college age trans* students growing there is a need to look at the importance of inclusive practices in colligate environments. This narrative approach takes the stories of two trans* college students and interprets their experiences with themes of misgendering, university action, university community, and signs of support. The study indicated that trans* college student’s perspectives on inclusivity was impacted by the microaggressions and …


Impact Of Interparental Conflict And Maternal Attachment On College Students’ Social Anxiety And Emotional Regulation, Kendra Ostermeier Jan 2024

Impact Of Interparental Conflict And Maternal Attachment On College Students’ Social Anxiety And Emotional Regulation, Kendra Ostermeier

Masters Theses

The potential impact that interparental conflict experienced during adolescence can have subsequently on college students was examined. The literature has demonstrated a positive relationship between interparental conflict and emotional dysregulation (Schwarz et al., 2012) and social anxiety (Adare et al., 2021). Maternal attachment was examined as a mediator of this relationship, as El-Sherkiah and Elmore-Staton (2004) identified it as a mediator between martial conflict and negative child outcomes. Specifically, this study examined the relationship between interparental conflict with social anxiety and emotional dysregulation. Additionally, this study examined maternal attachment as a mediator of those relationships. Interparental conflict was correlated positively …


An Autoethnography Journey: Social And Emotional Learning In A Post-Covid Classroom, April Edwards Dec 2023

An Autoethnography Journey: Social And Emotional Learning In A Post-Covid Classroom, April Edwards

Masters Theses

In this autoethnography journey, we explore the question, "What resources are available for teachers to use to guide SEL instruction, and how effective are those resources post-pandemic?" Post-COVID-19 pandemic, we noticed that our students needed more social interaction time in the classroom. Student behaviors increased alongside teacher frustration. Districts immediately began to see this struggle in the school systems and the growing concern from parents and teachers. Our children were not taught how to respectfully express their social and emotional needs due to the lack of opportunity to practice with others. During this study, we found that teachers …


Sustainable Solution For Plastic Waste Management And Education Campaigns To Mitigate Plastic Consumption And Foster Behavior Change, Mayowa Akande Dec 2023

Sustainable Solution For Plastic Waste Management And Education Campaigns To Mitigate Plastic Consumption And Foster Behavior Change, Mayowa Akande

Masters Theses

The issue of plastic waste has become a significant environmental concern in contemporary times. Given the escalating rates of plastic production and consumption worldwide, an urgent need is to implement effective strategies to manage plastic waste. This article aims to investigate sustainable strategies for managing plastic waste through an analysis of existing research and exemplary approaches in the domain. This research assesses diverse methodologies, such as recycling, waste minimization, biodegradable substitutes, and policy interventions, and appraises their efficacy, obstacles, and prospects for enduring sustainability. The results of this research emphasize the significance of inclusive and cohesive approaches that engage various …


“Little Old Wales”: Expressions Of Nationalism, Language And Pride In Welsh Football, Abigail Mathieson Dec 2023

“Little Old Wales”: Expressions Of Nationalism, Language And Pride In Welsh Football, Abigail Mathieson

Masters Theses

Welsh football, through its use of material culture, language, and acknowledgements of history, has become a major force in representing Welsh national identities locally and globally. This thesis expands on Benedict Anderson’s idea of the “imagined community” through contemporary research from academic sources and from voices throughout the Welsh footballing community. It highlights the significance of the sport in national identity, especially within smaller nations such as Wales with histories of post-colonialism. Along with this, football shows the role cultural nationalism plays in the nation of Wales and in its independence movements.


Evaluation Of A Cue Associated With Alternative Reinforcement To Mitigate Resurgence, Hayley Brown Dec 2023

Evaluation Of A Cue Associated With Alternative Reinforcement To Mitigate Resurgence, Hayley Brown

Masters Theses

Treatment relapse due to the extinction of a previously reinforced alternative behavior is known as resurgence. Understanding the conditions under which resurgence is mitigated may be important for improving the maintenance of the effects of interventions. One method that has been found to effectively mitigate resurgence is pairing a cue or stimulus with alternative reinforcement and then continuing to present that cue when alternative reinforcement is terminated. Animal studies have found that cues must be paired with alternative reinforcement and target extinction to be effective. However, this finding has not yet been replicated with humans. Demonstration of a similar effect …


Assessing The Impact Of The Tennessee Equine Industry, Olivia Watson Dec 2023

Assessing The Impact Of The Tennessee Equine Industry, Olivia Watson

Masters Theses

The Tennessee equine industry is alive and prevalent across the entire state. However, due to the expansiveness of the industry, lack of consistent record keeping, and large discrepancies among reporting agencies, it has proven to be difficult to accurately account for the total impact of the industry in terms of population, demographics, and overall economic impact. The objective of this study was to 1) determine population demographics and economic impact of the equine industry in Tennessee and 2) determine the public perception on the addition of live equine racing within the state. An anonymous, online assessment was developed (March-August 2022; …


Trends Of Autumn Phenology In Response To Environmental And Meteorological Variables, Meagan Renee Maguire Dec 2023

Trends Of Autumn Phenology In Response To Environmental And Meteorological Variables, Meagan Renee Maguire

Masters Theses

Previous studies have identified that changes in plant phenology are most likely induced by climate variability. One such change is the end of season (EOS) for deciduous forests in the United States. In essence, the EOS represents the end of plant productivity for a given year; the phase in which plant dormancy is reached. However, our wealth of knowledge on plant phenology largely overlooks the phases that occur in autumn, especially the EOS, with many previous studies focusing on spring phenology. This study uses remote sensing MODIS aerial imagery data and historical meteorological data to analyze any relationships that may …


Burned But Not Forgotten: Foodways Analysis Of Cooking Spaces From The First Kitchen On Thomas Jefferson’S Monticello Plantation, Peggy Marie Humes Dec 2023

Burned But Not Forgotten: Foodways Analysis Of Cooking Spaces From The First Kitchen On Thomas Jefferson’S Monticello Plantation, Peggy Marie Humes

Masters Theses

This thesis research evaluates the macrobotanical assemblage identified in soil samples from contexts collected throughout the South Pavilion kitchen space (44AB089) at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello plantation in Charlottesville, Virginia. My primary research objectives strive to establish what types of plant remains are represented in soil samples recovered from three stratigraphically assigned temporal periods in this late eighteenth-century kitchen space. As the first kitchen at Monticello, where enslaved cooks prepared meals influenced by African American and French dishes for the Jefferson family until 1809, this site can help better establish an understanding of the cultural foodways and dishes within this time …


Behavioral Economic Factors In Collective Bargaining, Cristal Cardoso Sao Mateus Cardoso Sao Mateus Dec 2023

Behavioral Economic Factors In Collective Bargaining, Cristal Cardoso Sao Mateus Cardoso Sao Mateus

Masters Theses

The present study evaluated the effects of delay, stake, and hypothetical group size on labor valuation in the context of increasing and decreasing labor demand. Challenges in collective bargaining are associated with work stoppages, which can cause economic losses, lack of service, and worker stress. Participants were asked to value their labor given a set of conditions in two experiments. Participants in experiment 1 (n = 49) valued their labor in both increasing and decreasing demand context. Conversely, participants in experiment 2 (n = 139) valued their labor in only one of the contexts. Delay to changes, stake size, and …


Wake Up America: Conceptualizing The Social Determinants Of Sleep, Nicole Eve Bray Dec 2023

Wake Up America: Conceptualizing The Social Determinants Of Sleep, Nicole Eve Bray

Masters Theses

This paper is an attempt to understand racial, ethnic and gender disparities in sleep as a sociological problem. Public health and sociological researchers have looked at the connection between sleep disparities among minorities and the impact it has on health. However, they haven’t explained and applied the social structural factors that cause these disparities, as well as address how stress can serve as a moderator. In my investigation, I found that sleep troubles differ across race, ethnicity and gender. These differences relate to the distinguishable life situations of women and minorities in American society, such as stressful life circumstances that …


Intergroup Dialogue Facilitation: Learning From Experts, Hannah J. Shinew Dec 2023

Intergroup Dialogue Facilitation: Learning From Experts, Hannah J. Shinew

Masters Theses

Intergroup dialogue (IGD) is a popular and effective tool for fostering communication between social identity groups and increasing social justice awareness and action. It has been implemented widely at colleges and universities across the United States and has also found a place in community-based interventions. Since the development of IGD, researchers have sought to identify participant outcomes and the factors that affect them. However, there is a dearth of research on the role of the facilitator in this process. Past research examining facilitators has examined only novice facilitators and has focused data collection on post-dialogue reflections. Additionally, there is little …


Examining How Parents Respond To Their Infant: The Difference Between Full-Term And Preterm Infants, Rebecca R. Crum Dec 2023

Examining How Parents Respond To Their Infant: The Difference Between Full-Term And Preterm Infants, Rebecca R. Crum

Masters Theses

Preterm infants born with a low birthweight are at risk for developmental delays both physically and cognitively. Research suggests that preterm infants struggle to meet developmental milestones in the same way that their full-term counterparts do, especially when it comes to their language development. This study examined the quantitative (i.e., number of words infants heard, amount of child vocalizations) and qualitative (i.e., contingent responding between infants and caregivers, proportion of infant-directed speech) in three cohorts of infants 1) infants born preterm (8-9-months chronological age; 6-months corrected age; n=6), 2) gestational age-matched full-term infants (~ 6 months chronological age), and 3) …


Rebel Legitimacy: A Theory On Battle Intensity, Brooke A. Golden Dec 2023

Rebel Legitimacy: A Theory On Battle Intensity, Brooke A. Golden

Masters Theses

Why do some rebel groups experience more intense fighting during civil war than others? This paper examines the relationship between rebel legitimacy and battle intensity. Existing literature has much to say about the various variables that influence battle intensity; however, this paper will incorporate two causal mechanisms of rebel legitimacy that are often overlooked or understudied in the civil war literature that explores battle intensity. The two causal mechanisms are: the number of civilian deaths and the level of rebel governance. This study is unique in the way it challenges our current understanding of battle intensity through these mechanisms. This …


Using Fiber-Optic Reflectance Spectroscopy (Fors) To Identify Human Decomposition Fluid Characteristics In Plant Leaves And Soil, Anielle Duncan Dec 2023

Using Fiber-Optic Reflectance Spectroscopy (Fors) To Identify Human Decomposition Fluid Characteristics In Plant Leaves And Soil, Anielle Duncan

Masters Theses

Anthropologists may be asked by law enforcement or family members to assist in the search for missing deceased individuals. The search areas are often in harsh, rugged terrain for which some technologies, such as ground penetrating radar, cannot be used. Fiber-optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS) is a portable instrument that can collect information on plants and soil in the surrounding environment, even in austere environments. This study aimed to test whether FORS could be used to identify decomposition fluid in nearby plants and soil in the visible near-infrared (VNIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectral regions. Using FORS to analyze the spectral …


No Evidence That Reasoned Analysis Impairs The Accuracy Of (Or Confidence In) Sports Forecasts, Andrew Langbehn Dec 2023

No Evidence That Reasoned Analysis Impairs The Accuracy Of (Or Confidence In) Sports Forecasts, Andrew Langbehn

Masters Theses

When making decisions, people can either rely on a gut feeling or engage in reasoned analysis to make a choice. Past research has made competing claims on whether relying on gut feelings or reasoned analysis leads to better decisions. However, these competing claims may be due to the types of decisions being made. Relying on gut feelings has been demonstrated to be superior in judgments about attitudes and leads to greater post-decision satisfaction. However, prior research demonstrating the benefits of gut feelings has used subjective and mostly unverifiable criteria for which to judge the quality of a decision. On the …


The Impact Of Utilitarian Product Reviews On Brand Perception, Benjamin Libon Dec 2023

The Impact Of Utilitarian Product Reviews On Brand Perception, Benjamin Libon

Masters Theses

The impact of online reviews on consumer behavior has been increasingly studied as online retail platforms have grown exponentially, and internet research used prior to purchasing products has become more common. However, limited research has examined the impact of those product reviews on the overall perception of the brands selling these products. This study exclusively looked at product reviews for high and low-involvement utilitarian products and analyzed how those reviews affect consumers' perception of a brand. Taking a sample of 301 participants, findings showed that star ratings had a drastic effect on consumers' perception of a brand, associating a low …


If Not Us, Then Who?: Qtbipoc Graduate Researchers’ Experiences Researching Qtbipoc Communities, Vardaan Dua Dec 2023

If Not Us, Then Who?: Qtbipoc Graduate Researchers’ Experiences Researching Qtbipoc Communities, Vardaan Dua

Masters Theses

Experiences of minority graduate student researchers, specifically graduate student researchers that identify as queer and/or trans and Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (QTBIPOC) have been largely underrepresented in current scholarship. Utilizing reflexive thematic analysis and semi-structured interviews, in the current study we explored the experiences of 20 QTBIPOC graduate student researchers who conduct QTBIPOC research. Results revealed five thematic patterns, including: (a) recognizing, resisting, and reforming systemic oppression within academia; (b) encountering interpersonal oppression within academic contexts; (c) personal well-being and the role of QTBIPOC research; (d) relations among one’s personal identities and engagement in QTBIPOC research; and …