Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Treating Gut Feelings: A Systematic Review Of Psychological Treatments For Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Venus Mirbod

Theses and Dissertations

Psychological comorbidities and psychosocial challenges are prevalent among children and adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). However, a comprehensive review of the availability and effectiveness of psychological treatments for pediatric IBD patients is lacking. This systematic review aimed to determine the availability and efficacy of psychological interventions for children and adolescents with IBD. The systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and performed using two electronic databases, PsycINFO and PubMed, from inception until March 2022. Databases were searched for English-language, controlled trials of psychological interventions for children and adolescents with IBD. Outcomes of interest included: depression, anxiety, health-related …

Thriving In A Vuca World: A Case Study Exploring Geopolitically- Focused Intelligence Teams In The Private Sector Through A Systems Theory Lens, Angela Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

For several decades, business executives have been faced with increasing complexity in the global environment, including disruptions, rapid changes, and heightened global pressures. In an effort to maintain a strategic advantage, business leaders are increasingly leveraging geopolitically-focused strategic intelligence teams to accurately and concisely synthesize large quantities of data to support high-level business decision making. However, limited research has been conducted on the organizational development of these teams, the context in which they exist, and how they can most effectively support differing and evolving decision-maker needs. As these teams have the potential to have an outsized impact on global business …

The Issue Of Women In Science: Exploring The Gender Gap In Egypt's Scientific Research Productivity., Yomna Saleh

Theses and Dissertations

Research productivity and impact are highly valued in the scientific field. It is regarded as a significant determinant of career advancement, financial support, academic recognition, and prominent personal position. Unfortunately, this is an area that has demonstrated a long history of gender disparity. This quantitative study aims to validate and identify gender gaps concerning women’s research productivity to help assess effectiveness of interventions and policies aiming to improve female participation and representation in scientific research. Although, gender gap in scientific publications is a global phenomenon, but this should not mask potential variations at both the national and regional levels. Hence …

The Social Effect Of The Imf Policies Post Arab-Spring In The Middle East, Noha Nafie

Theses and Dissertations

This study discusses how International Financial Institutions (IFIs), primarily the International Monetary Fund (IMF), have incorporated the social dimension when designing their reform programs in the Middle East. This research explores three case studies of IMF programs in Tunisia, Jordan and Egypt, and examines how the process of designing and implementing social protection programs has changed after the Arab Spring. The Egyptian case study provides an in- depth analysis of the design of Takaful and Karama in particular and its implementation. Moreover, it provides a future outlook on the protection programs in Egypt with implications for the wider MENA region. …

‘Stuck’ In The Waiting Room: African And Haitian Migrants Between Liminality And Mobility In A Mexican Border Town, Julia Hause

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the border town of Tijuana, Mexico as a site of fragmentation and rupture along the migration journeys of African and Haitian migrants transiting the South American-Central American corridor towards North American destinations. Extra-continental migration of migrants from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean to Latin America has been an emerging migration trend as global migration governance becomes increasingly restrictive and externalized. U.S. immigration and asylum policies implemented at the southern border have made migrating and making claims to international protection difficult for those migrants who arrive at the border. These policies, coupled with the indefinite U.S. land border …

Behavioral Patterns Of Goldfish (Carassius Auratus) Exploring A “Fish Tower”, Sasha Prasad-Shreckengast

Theses and Dissertations

Fish are held in captivity at some of the highest numbers of any taxa, but their curiosity is rarely studied. With this study, we set the groundwork to investigate the presence and nature of curiosity in goldfish (Carassius auratus) via novel free-choice exploration opportunities by creating a “fish tower."

Pushing It To The Limit: Determining Asian Elephant (Elephas Maximus) Olfactory Sensitivity And Discrimination Through A Behavioral Choice Task, Matthew S. Rudolph

Theses and Dissertations

Elephants have shown remarkable olfactory capabilities. Their sense of smell impacts their foraging choices, behavior, and ultimately, survival. Being able to detect a target odor can allow elephants to locate specific resources, identify threats, and find receptive conspecifics. Previous studies have shown that elephants can consistently detect target odors, but have not identified the limits of this detection. Thus, to investigate the extent of elephants’ odor detection capabilities, we tested Asian elephants in a two-step odor discrimination task. First, we investigated whether elephants could detect odors at varying levels of dilution after a training procedure, and then whether they could …

The Influence Of Comorbid Gad On Er Utilization In Urban Youth With Asthma, David A. Karpe

Theses and Dissertations

Current literature indicates a strong association between asthma and the early onset of comorbid generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in minors and their primary caregivers. Studies show that asthma prevalence increases with certain demographic factors, such as ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and housing quality. Evidence also suggests that GAD influences decision-making, especially when deciding to utilize emergency room (ER) services for asthma-related concerns. This study analyzed the effect of comorbid GAD on minors with asthma and ER utilization. The data were provided by an earlier Stress & Justice Study (S&J) baseline survey, an investigation aimed at understanding the impact of parental criminal …

Discrete Processing In Visual Perception, Marshall L. Green

Theses and Dissertations

Two very different classes of theoretical models have been proposed to explain visual perception. One class of models assume that there is a point at which we become consciously aware of a stimulus, known as a threshold. This threshold is the foundation of discrete process models all of which describe an all-or-none transition between the mental state of perceiving a stimulus and the state of not perceiving a stimulus. In contrast, the other class of models assume that mental states change continuously. These continuous models are founded in signal detection theory and the more contemporary models in Bayesian inference frameworks. …

Using Social Media As A Communication Tool: A Study Of Ministries Of Sport And Sport For Development And Peace Organizations In Sub-Saharan Africa, Kelsey Slater

Theses and Dissertations

This study expanded on the previous research surrounding the Facebook and Twitter use of non-governmental sport for development and peace (SDP) organizations as well governmental Ministries of Sport. Following the theoretical framework of Lovejoy and Saxton (2012) this research examined specifically how non-governmental and governmental sport organizations share information, form a community and encourage action with their social media audiences. A content analysis of 6003 social media posts demonstrated that both Ministries of Sport and SDP non-governmental organizations (NGOs) primarily use social media to disseminate information to their followers, however, SDP NGOs were more likely to use social media posts …

Using Bst To Increase Interview Skills Among Emerging Adults With Autism Via Telehealth, Johnna L. Dowdy

Theses and Dissertations

he purpose of the current study was to evaluate the use of behavior skills training via telehealth to teach job interview skills to emerging adults with ASD. Additionally, the study examined if following intervention, skills were able to generalize to new interviewers. 2 undergraduate and 1 graduate student with ASD participated in the study, and received intervention for 3 behaviors: (1) appropriately answering questions, (2) asking appropriate questions, and (3) engaging in appropriate body language. The current study used a multiple baseline design across behaviors. Results from the study indicated BST via telehealth was effective in teaching job interviews skills. …

Identity Formation Of Black Surinamese Dutch Women, Ashley Melcherts

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the self-identification of young Black Surinamese Dutch women in the racialized context of Dutch society, how family and school contribute to identity formation, and how identity shapes the everyday lives of young women of color in predominantly white institutions in the Netherlands. Eight online in-depth interviews were conducted with Black Surinamese Dutch college women in the Netherlands about how they understand their identities, how they perceive the process of learning about their identities, and how their identities shape their everyday experiences in Dutch society. Findings illustrate the influence of family in shaping ideas about identity, the …

Urban-Rural Differences In Lifespan Variation In The United States, Benjamin H. Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Since the mid-1980s, mortality rate improvements in urban areas have outpaced those in rural areas, leading to substantial urban-rural disparities in mortality. Research on urban-rural mortality disparities has focused exclusively on differences in mortality between urban and rural areas and has not examined differences in the amount of inequality in the length of life within these areas. Lifespan variation is an important dimension of health inequality that complements traditional metrics of mortality (i.e., mortality rates and life expectancy) by indicating the amount of inequality of lifespans within a population. This dissertation provides several contributions to our understanding of urban-rural differences …

Impacts Of Sea-Level Rise On Urban Properties In Tampa Due To Climate Change, Weiwei Xie

Theses and Dissertations

The fast urbanization produces a large and growing population in coastal areas. However, the rise of sea level, one of the most significant impacts of global warming, makes coastal communities much more vulnerable to flooding than before. This Master’s thesis study investigates sea-level rise impacts on parcel-level property in the specific coastal city of Tampa, Florida, USA. An improved sea-level rise model based on satellite altimeter data is first used to predict future sea levels. Based on high-resolution LiDAR digital elevation data and property map, flooded properties are identified to evaluate property damage cost. This empirical analysis provides an in-depth …

Macronutrient Intake: A Multi-Sport Study Of Female Division I Collegiate Athletes, Ffion Price

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Macronutrients play a critical role within collegiate athletes’ performance and health, with carbohydrates providing most of the energy needs for most athletes. There is little research examining the macronutrient intake of healthy collegiate female athletes across sports. The aim of the present study was to compare macronutrient intakes of female collegiate athletes within different sports and compare their intakes to recommendations. Methods: An observational study was conducted to determine whether a sample of female collegiate athletes (n=26) consumed the IOC nutritional recommendations. Sports included within the study were soccer, basketball, volleyball, and cross-country. Athletes were asked to complete a …

Sport Venue Quality: Measurement, And Its Impact On Spectator’S Sustained Consumption Intentions, Dae Eun Kim

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the current study was to reconstruct the sport venue quality dimensionsas an autonomous quality with a utilitarian perspective and examine the impact on spectators’ perceived risk, price perception, and sustained consumption intentions. Venues for National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Baseball (MLB) games that mostly represent indoor and outdoor sporting facilities were chosen, and subjects were spectators who have experience of attending professional team sport events in sport venues. The study employed an online survey for data collection, and a total of 595 samples were utilized for data analyses. The data set was randomly split into …

Examining Negative Thinking Styles And Thought Control Strategies Within Borderline Personality Disorder, Courtney K. Mason

Theses and Dissertations

Components of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) include emotion and cognitive dysregulation. The Emotional Cascade Model (Selby & Joiner, 2009; Selby et al., 2009) suggests negative affect and the cognitive process of rumination could be interchangeably increasing over time, leading to maladaptive behaviors. The current study evaluated negative thinking styles (i.e., anger rumination, sadness rumination, worry, catastrophizing) and thought control strategies (i.e., brooding, reflection, thought suppression) in relation to BPD traits using path analyses in a college student sample (N = 204). Results indicated anger rumination, sadness rumination, and worry indirectly predicted BPD traits through thought suppression, brooding, and reflection. However, …

Examining The Need For Parental Satisfaction With The Msu Extension Equine Assisted Therapy Program, Ashlyn Ann Kiker

Theses and Dissertations

Animal assisted interventions are becoming more prevalent in our society. Animal interventions have become a popular therapy technique that exist to aid a variety of disabilities. Equine therapeutic riding has become one of the most popular forms of animal assisted therapy for both children and adults. While research shows the importance and benefits of animal assisted therapy for children, there is a lack of research concerning parental satisfaction within therapeutic riding programs.

This study tested a newly developed instrument for measuring parental satisfaction for therapeutic riding programs. The Parent/Caregiver Evaluation Tool (Kerr, 2021) was administered to parents/caregivers whose children participated …

Racial/Ethnic Representation In Prominent Child/Adolescent Clinical Journals: A Content Analysis Of Literature (2000-2019), Jessica E. Diamond

Theses and Dissertations

A focus on racial and ethnic minority youth is crucial considering the projections of growth for these populations in the United States. The Journal of American Academy of Child/Adolescent Psychiatry, Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America were coded for level of focus on minority youth group focus, article topic, and journal trends over time. Latinxs represented 3.2% of published articles (versus 17.8% of the U. S. population), African Americans 3.0% (versus 13.3%), Asian Americans 0.1% (versus 5.9%) and Native Americans 0.9% (versus 1.3%). The top research topics for all minority …

Brain Drain: A Study On The Life And Career Choices Of Texas A&M International University Students Post-Graduation, Martha Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influence(d) the life and career choices of Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) students post-graduation – in particular whether and why they decided to stay in Laredo, TX or leave after graduation. The investigation focused on TAMIU alumni who graduated within the last five (5) academic years (2015-2016 thru 2019-2020). To determine which factors were most influential in TAMIU alumni’s decision-making, this study used qualitative data, specifically, online in-depth interviews. By measuring place attachment, social capital, and human capital of TAMIU alumni, this study contributes to our understanding of how …

Blue Lives Matter: Public Perception In Texas, Nohely Karyme Lozano

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, Blue Lives Matter, a pro-policing movement, was established across the United States. The movement sheds light on the attacks and killings of police officers while on the line of duty. Also, it raises awareness of the dangers and risks law enforcement agents face while on duty and off duty. Throughout the years, the movement has gained many supporters across the nation. However, it has been controversial, and many considered it as a countermovement to Black Lives Matter. To bridge the gap in the literature, the researcher investigated the perception of Texans towards the movement. Moreover, the research …

Evaluating Disaster Evacuation Plans Of Families With Special Medical Needs (Smn) In The Rio Grande Valley: A Proposal For Providing A Special Needs Disaster Shelter, Jeannette Zallar

Theses and Dissertations

During a disaster, people have the choice of whether to evacuate or shelter in place. The problem with that is that the impact of disasters is never the same; one disaster can cause one to shelter in place, and within the same day, evacuation might be required. For those who are able-bodied, and have financial means, this is not a problem. It is a problem, however, for those who are disabled, struggling with chronic illnesses, or caring for those who have a disability or chronic illness.

This thesis studies these populations, and proposes a potential solution for disaster evacuation: a …

The Effect Of Shadowing In Learning L2 Segments: A Perspective From Phonetic Convergence, Ruqayyah Althubyani

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to investigate the role that phonetic convergence plays in the acquisition of L2 segments. In particular, it examined whether phonetic convergence towards native speakers could help Arabic-speaking second-language (L2) learners of English improve their pronunciation of four problematic English segments (/p, v, ɛ, oʊ/). To do so, the study went through several phases of experimental studies. Phonetic convergence was first explored in the productions of Arabic L2 learners towards five different English native model talkers in non-interactive setting. Five XAB perceptual similarity judgments and acoustic measurements of VOT, vowel duration, F0, and F1*F2 were used to evaluate …

"Making God's Love Manifest": American Expressions And Productions Of Charisma In Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi's Global Following, Karen Margaret Esche-Eiff

Theses and Dissertations

While situating it in a changing American religious landscape marked by increasing participation in metaphysical religion, this dissertation examines the appeal of contemporary Indian godperson, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma), to Americans. Although replete with portraits of individual Indian spiritual leaders’ charisma, the anthropology of religion literature seldom addresses the processes whereby such figures’ charisma gets produced. Drawing on thirteen months of multi-sited ethnographic research conducted between 2015-2016, this dissertation uses Max Weber’s theory of charisma to answer the following questions: what extraordinary capacity do American devotees attribute to Amma; what is the process whereby they and she co-produce this …

Geostatistical Perspectives On Recuay Mortuary Landscapes In Highland Peru, Dominic Greenlee

Theses and Dissertations

The Recuay lived in the highlands of Peru from AD 250-700. Their customs and traditions were divided into regionally distinct styles of material culture. As the Moche (AD 200-900) emerged along the coast of Peru, the Recuay engaged them in long distance trade, culture exchange, and likely conflict. Towards the end of the Recuay sequence, they were overshadowed by the Wari (AD 600-1000) beginning with the adoption of chullpa style tombs and ending with the full adoption and integration of the Wari cultural bundle in Ancash. This thesis uses published data from the Callejón de Huaylas, specifically from the Río …

Human Capital In The Knowledge Economy : A 3-Country Case Study In Healthcare, James Scott Mccallum

Theses and Dissertations

During the present knowledge economy there appear to be labor shortages at the same time and in the same regions in which there is an excess of labor supply. Such a pattern would run counter to previous major economic disruptions, as well as questioning traditional free market economic theory of supply and demand principles. Implications for policy where there are global labor shortages along with surplus labor availability in a market economy, are significant. It will likely indicate a drag on economic growth for business sectors, for regions and perhaps globally. It would indicate an accompanying growing disparity of income. …

The Relationship Between Mindfulness, Social Anxiety Traits, And Emotions, Maria Jackeline Diaz

Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between mindfulness, social anxiety traits, and emotion processing is the first study of its kind to be looked over. In this study we will assess similarities and differences, plus how they work together to provide further research and understanding of these complexities when combined. Such research can be helpful in making us understand our emotions, as well as how our emotions can be perceived in social functioning and communication.

Intimate Partner Violence In The Rio Grande Valley: The Role Of Culture, Tania Diaz

Theses and Dissertations

Mexican culture along the border towns of the Rio Grande dominates views towards women and men experiencing violence in intimate relationships. However, there is a paucity of empirical studies relating to intimate partner violence in the Rio Grande Valley. This study addresses the dynamics of abusive relationship in a Hispanic community that can be influenced by cultural concepts such as familism and marianismo. The author utilized a mixed methods approach for this study that included a sample of (n = 513) surveys and (n = 13) interviews that were analyzed separately. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess …

A Gis-Based Model To Assess On-Site Sewage Facility (Ossf) Contamination Risk To Local Water Resources, Alvaro Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

In a collaborative effort between Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI), Cameron County Public Health (CCPH), Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (TAMAE), and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), a GIS database that includes relevant OSSF information, such as location, system age, lot size, and other important parameters was created.

This OSSF database, along with publicly available GIS data, was used to create an integrative GIS-based risk assessment model where OSSF risk parameters were assigned a risk factor and combined into a spatial contamination risk for surrounding areas and their receiving waterbodies. Parameters were broken down into two categories: environmental …

Effect Of Neighborhood Socioeconomic Disadvantage On Brain Functional Connectivity And Structural Properties In Trauma-Exposed Adults, Elisabeth Kathleen Webb

Theses and Dissertations

Though there has been substantial progress towards understanding brain-behavior relationships and characterizing the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders, research has not translated as expected into novel prevention and treatment of mental health conditions. One limitation may be the emphasis on individual-level variables (e.g., income) and omission of relevant area-level factors (e.g., neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage). Recently, attention has been directed towards identifying the biological mechanisms by which neighborhoods impact mental health. The chronic stress associated with living in a disadvantaged neighborhood promotes a cascade of maladaptive events, which in turn impact brain structure and functioning. The processes affected by chronic neighborhood stressors …