Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Development And Evaluation Of An Object Relations Measure For The Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank, John Thomas Rucker Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Personality assessment measures provide useful insight into the characteristic dispositions and psychological makeup of clinical populations and are routinely utilized by mental health professionals to guide treatment and case conceptualizations. Most widely used psychological measures include indicators of interpersonal functioning. Personality presentations with dysfunctional interpersonal styles may include underlying maladaptive object relations, which serve as the mental templates for social interchange and interpersonal dynamics. The Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank (RISB) is the most widely used sentence completion method and is often included in personality assessment batteries in evaluating an examinee’s level of adjustment and/or maladjustment. This study sought to develop …

Making Yourself At Al-Dar: On Islamic Education, Social Imaginations, And Affective Possibilities, Alia Amr Amin Shaddad

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the Dar as an alternative space of knowledge, and unravels how its different contexts and rhythms allow us to imagine what that alternative means in the everyday. In order to do so, this thesis unpacks questions of space, time, subjectivity, and potential. I look at the ways in which this Dar is constituted as a space through its relations with other spaces and by engaging questions of temporality. By doing so, this thesis maps this space to make clear what and how it is, and highlights the historical and geographical context it exists in. This also includes …

Factors Influencing Latina Healthcare System Distrust, Anthony D. Eldridge

Theses and Dissertations

The Latino community's healthcare engagement continues to be a growing national concern (Velasco-Mondragon et al., 2016). Due to sociocultural circumstances and racial marginalization, Latinas experience disproportionate health disparities and inequalities that may be exacerbated by healthcare system distrust (HSD) (Hacker et al., 2015). Ethnic identity, an established protective factor in Latino culture, may contribute to healthcare system distrust (Ai et al., 2012). Additionally, immigration status has been shown to negatively influence Latino's healthcare experiences leading to HSD (Luque et al., 2018). The present study evaluated the influence of sociodemographic factors and ethnic identity on HSD among Latinas. Ethnic identity and …

University Students' Perceptions Of Writing Assessment, Hanan Alaa Hegazi

Theses and Dissertations

Instructors and students are the pillars of higher education. There is substantial interest in teachers’ beliefs, preferences, and perceptions in language assessment research, with an emphasis on writing assessment. Additionally, there is a growing body of research investigating students’ perceptions of assessment. However, research that examines how students perceive writing assessment is limited. Therefore, this study investigates two aspects: (a) students’ perceptions of their writing ability and (b) their perceptions of writing assessment in an English-medium private university in Cairo. This study adopts a mixed-methods approach for data collection, which involved distributing student questionnaires, conducting semi-structured interviews, and collecting writing …

Does Decentering Mediate The Relationship Between Mindfulness And Stress And Anxiety?, Hana Hannah Lee

Theses and Dissertations

College students are stressed and unsuccessful efforts to cope can increase risk for poor mental health, including anxiety (American College Health, 2019). Research suggests mindfulness (Bamber & Schneider, 2016) and adaptive emotion regulation (Desrosiers et al. 2013b) can buffer against the deleterious effects of distress. Decentering, a mindful emotion regulation strategy (Chambers et al., 2009), is postulated to be a mechanism by which mindfulness can lead to better mental health (Shapiro et al. 2006). Specific facets of trait mindfulness, namely Nonjudging (NJ) and Nonreactivity (NR) (Mizera et al. 2016), are directly involved in regulating one's emotions, which can help reduce …

Differentiating Risk Pathways To Violence: A Comparison Of The Incremental Contributions Of Masculine Gender Discrepancy Stress And Trait Agreeableness, John M. Shepherd

Theses and Dissertations

The existing literature on risk profiles leading to the perpetration of violent acts has suggested personality and gender role socializations to be relevant predictors. Research has consistently found personality factors, particularly trait agreeableness, to predict several types of violence (e.g., sexual violence, violence against intimate partners, aggressive behaviors across relationships). Recent research suggests that although both adherence to masculine social norms and individual differences in experiences of stress while enacting these norms have been shown to be reliably associated with violence, masculine gender discrepancy stress (i.e., stress experienced by men when perceiving themselves to be inadequately masculine) may be uniquely …

Interdependent Infrastructure Recovery Using Multilayered Networks And Optimization, Brigham A. Moore

Theses and Dissertations

Interdependent infrastructure recovery modeling and simulation are complicated due to various interdependent connections and complexities. Current efforts have identified both operational and restoration interdependency subtypes and coupling strategies that have not been integrated into one comprehensive model. This research presents a model which simultaneously integrates nine interdependency subtypes and four coupling strategies in a multi-objective format to provide the most tailorable and comprehensive network-based recovery model available. This research also created a defense-centric interdependent infrastructure database by modifying the existing CLARC database. This research then addressed assumptions regarding recovery work management in order to address the impact of work crew …

Medication Assisted Treatment: Examining Enrollment And Demographic Factors Of Treatment, Antwana Letoya Drayton

Theses and Dissertations

Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) has been a long-standing epidemic concern related to the continuous growth of variations of the substance and its’ potency. Due to the versatility of the substance to be both an illicit drug and also a prescription medication, the interest in controlling and monitoring its’ use creates a greater public health concern. Treatment overtime has been revitalized to directly address the social, biological, and physiological difficulties of patients with OUDs. Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) has been explored and has become one of the most widely used plans for treatment of Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) related to pain …

Adaptability As A Moderator On The Impact Of Childhood Sexual Abuse And The Development Of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Courtney Marie Kalmanson

Theses and Dissertations

Globally, it is estimated that 11.8% children experience Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) prior to the age of 18 (Stoltenborgh et al., 2011). However, the current prevalence rate of CSA is far underestimated due to the fear, shame, and denial that the victim experiences. Similarly, many survivors of CSA experience post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) following the experience of CSA, which may develop into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) over time. Furthermore, some children may adjust well despite the traumatic experience, suggesting resiliency. Much of the research on CSA focuses on the link between CSA and development of psychopathology, including but not limited …

The Banality Of Corporate Evil, Amina Dessouki

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis critiques the notion of corporate social responsibility (CSR) through tracing the multiple dynamics between a multinational corporation and a development consultancy working on a recycling project in collaboration with the Zabaleen in Mansheyet Nasser, Egypt. The thesis looks at the ways in which actors negotiate their different positions, the harmonies and discordances that unfold through various agendas coming together, the silences produced, and the ways in which structural violence is intensified under the guise of development. The thesis contrasts the detached efforts of corporate workers and development consultants with the lives of the zabaleen, who live in a …

Misunderstood: A Phenomenological Study On Intersectionality And The Lived Experiences Of Black Millennial Student Affairs Professionals At Pwis, Emily P. Dixon

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to further understand the lived experiences of Black millennial student affairs professionals navigating and advancing through a predominately white institution in the southern United States. This phenomenological study, framed by critical race theory and intersectionality, sought to ultimately use these lived experiences to advocate for change. A review of the literature highlighted the needs, values, and experiences of Black Millennials based on both identities, the experiences of working in student affairs/higher education with these experiences, and the need for intentional diversity efforts by higher educational institutions.

The researcher interviewed nine participants to learn more about …

Straight White Men's Geosocial App Preferences: Exploring The Effects Of Race, Sean Aaron

Theses and Dissertations

Geosocial apps on mobile phones use location data to introduce many young adults to other people to initiate various types of relationships. This study examined how established racial preferences affect Straight White Men's (SWM) selection decisions of potential partners in a pseudo-geosocial app when controlling for age, attractiveness, and other profile factors of potential matches. A sample comprising exclusively of SWM was selected because historically, this demographic has benefited most from gender and racial inequalities (Thompson, 2009), and they make up the largest portion of people in interracial relationships in the United States (Livingston & Brown, 2017). We found that …

When Clients Who Got Worse Believe They Got Better: A Qualitative Analysis Of Oq-Deteriorators Reporting Improvement In Therapy, Eric Alexander Ghelfi

Theses and Dissertations

A recent study highlighted discrepancies between qualitative client self-reports of outcome and OQ-45 reports. Specifically, only 8.8% of clients who deteriorated during a course of therapy based on the OQ-45 perceived that they had deteriorated, while 50% of these clients perceived that they had improved in therapy (Top et al., 2018). This phenomenon, where different means of tracking outcomes yield divergent results, has been called “paradoxical outcome.” The trend suggests that the most advanced forms of tracking psychotherapy outcomes might not detect important facets of outcome from the perspective of psychotherapy clients. The current study is a qualitative investigation of …

The Mediating Role Of Interpersonal Skills In The Relationship Between Depressive Symptomatology And Dating Violence In Young Mothers, Lauren Catherine Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

Young mothers are an understudied group at high-risk for dating violence (DV) victimization and perpetration. Psychological distress, such as depression, increases young mothers' risk for DV (Thomas et al., 2019). In turn, depressive symptomology is associated with difficulties in interpersonal competence (Jones et al., 2019), which may increase DV risk (Bonache et al., 2017). In addition, young mothers may have few chances to learn the interpersonal skills associated with healthy adult romantic relationships due to a mismatch in developmental level and parenting status (Herrman et al., 2019; Moore et al., 2007). Using interpersonal stress generation theory (Hammen, 1991, 2006), we …

Personal And/Or Vicarious Experience With Cancer As A Predictor Of Physical Activity: Moderating Effects Of Gender And Risk Perception, Pierre Alexander Leon M.A.

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Few studies have addressed the relationship between an individual's type of experience with cancer and its relationship with physical activity (PA). Furthermore, studies have not addressed gender and risk perception's ability to moderate the relationship between cancer experience and physical activity. To address this gap in understanding modifiable factors that might help or hinder PA levels, the overarching goal of this study is to: (a) estimate the degree to which an individual's experience of cancer effects PA levels, (b) determine how strongly gender moderates the relationship between the experience of cancer and PA levels, and (c) determine how strongly …

Warning! Explicit Material: The Effects Of Adolescent Pornography Use On Risky Sexual Behavior Over Time, Emily Jensen-Schvaneveldt

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the longitudinal effects of adolescent pornography trajectories on risky sexual behavior, as well as predictors of pornography trajectories. Data was taken from Waves V-X of the Flourishing Families Project, which included a sample of 463 families. A zero-inflated Poisson growth mixture model was run to determine class participation and growth trajectories. Findings revealed that gender and religiosity significantly predicted class participation, and class participation significantly predicted risky sexual behavior. While this study did have limitations, this study adds to the previous literature by examining adolescent pornography trajectories over an extended period of time.

Police Spending And Crime Rates: Evidence From U.S. Cities, 1985 – 2010, Daniel Padrick

Theses and Dissertations

Panel data covering the largest U.S. cities from 1985-2010 is used to reevaluate the endogeneity issue between policing and crime rates. Crime rates are not found to be a strong predictor of police spending, indicating that reverse causality is not as severe an issue as frequently thought. Increases in police spending result in modest decreases in certain index crimes.

The Impact Of Select Buses On Taxi Ridership In Nyc, Sara Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research is to measure the impact of select buses on taxi ridership in NYC. Due to the phased implementation of select buses in NYC, a difference-in-differences model was used. Taxi ridership on the M14A/M14D, M34, M79, and M15 bus routes was examined as the treatment group. The control group is the M100/M101 non-select bus route that runs along Lexington and Amsterdam Avenue. The results from this model show that the M14A/M14D, M34, and M79 select buses had a negative statistically significant impact on taxi ridership. The M15 select bus had a positive statistically insignificant impact on …

Gentrification, Neighborhood Change, And Crime Across Milwaukee, Hannah Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Data from 247 census tracts and 592 block groups in Milwaukee, Wisconsin were analyzed to determine the extent of gentrification across Milwaukee and the effects of neighborhood change on both property and violent crime rates. The data are from 2010 and 2018 and captures the city’s transformation over the majority of the past decade. Using frequency analyses, OLS regression, spatial lag regression and spatial error regression models, the relationships between gentrification, neighborhood change and crime are assessed. Similar to other quantitative research findings, this paper found very little evidence of gentrification in Milwaukee from 2010 to 2018. Regarding the effect …

To Disclose Or Not Disclose: The Proposition And Test Of The Sexual Self-Disclosure Decision Model (Ss-Ddm), Riley Richards

Theses and Dissertations

The positive personal and relational outcomes of sexual self-disclosure (SS-D) in the context of current sexual partner have received considerable scholarly attention in the context of current sexual partners. Despite the numerous benefits, SS-D is difficult for partners to perform, and current literature does not fully explain, nor predict, why and when SS-D is likely to occur. This dissertation was conducted to formalize the propositions of the Sexual Self-Disclosure Decision Model (SS-DDM), a novel theoretical model to explain the factors leading up to, or away from, SS-D. The SS-DDM proposes a three-phase disclosure decision process including antecedent, assessment, and decision. …

Three Essays On The Effectiveness Of Foreign Aid, Yunhee Choi

Theses and Dissertations

Throughout three essays, this dissertation investigates three important aspects of the effectiveness of foreign aid: whether and how foreign aid is effective. Chapter 1 explains the background of the study on foreign aid. This introduction chapter also summarizes my arguments and the empirical strategies of each essay. Chapter 2 analyzes when foreign aid helps the recipient countries’ economic growth. In specific, this chapter argues that the political leaders’ survival strategy determines how to spend the aid, and it makes the difference in the aid effectiveness to achieve economic growth. Using a panel dataset for the 82 aid recipient countries between …

Oneota Lithic Economy And Tool Function At The Schmeling Site (47je833) In Southeastern Wisconsin, Megan Catherine Harding

Theses and Dissertations

The perceived homogeneity of Oneota lithic assemblages has often provided a challenge for archaeologists to extrapolate broader conclusions about Oneota tool economies beyond their preference for speed and efficiency. Using standardized methods, lithic materials recovered from the 2006 and 2008 excavations at the Schmeling site (47JE833) are examined to determine if the lithic economy is indicative of day-to-day activity or reflects a particular cultural function like that of a mortuary precinct. The results of this analysis are then contrasted against the Crescent Bay Hunt Club site (47JE0904), Koshkonong Creek Village site (47JE0379), and the Carcajou Point site (47JE0002) to examine …

The Afro-Brazilian Martial Art Of Capoeira: Cultural Healing And Identity, Lauren Hsiao-Ling Mascari

Theses and Dissertations

By the year 2050, racial and ethnic minorities are projected to become the rising majority accounting for more than 50% of the population in the United States, however minorities are consistently at greater risk for poorer health outcomes and at higher risk for trauma-related symptoms than their White counterparts. Although some individuals seek and access traditional mental health services, more than half of the individuals who have diagnosable conditions never obtain formal treatment. Within the past two decades, the American Psychological Association delineated Multicultural Guidelines that describe the need for interventions to not only adapt to culture, but to be …

The Role Of Alcohol Use, Drinking Context, And Alcohol Expectancies In Sexual Assault Perpetration Among College Men, Joseph D. Censor

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual assault is a major public health and criminal justice problem in our society. The high prevalence rate of sexual assault victimization and perpetration among college students is even more disturbing. Additionally, the prevalence of alcohol use among college students is higher than in the general population, and alcohol use is associated with more than half of sexual assaults. The goal of the present study was to gain a deeper understanding of the role of various alcohol related factors in sexual assault perpetration among college men. Specifically, this study assessed the association of perpetration with general problematic alcohol use, general …

Characterizing Sex Differences In Functional Connectivity Changes Across The Alzheimer’S Disease Clinical Continuum, Jenna K. Blujus

Theses and Dissertations

Treatments that are currently available for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are largely ineffective, likely because they are delivered following diagnosis, when significant neurodegeneration has already occurred and cannot be reversed (Waite, 2015). Another key element that may contribute to therapeutic failure is the “one-treatment-fits-all” approach, which inherently considers AD as a homogenous state, ignoring the significant interindividual variability that is observed in risk profiles (Reitz, 2016). Characterizing the influence of factors that contribute to the observed heterogeneity in AD, such as biological sex, on pathological brain changes may reveal more individualized biomarkers to aid early detection efforts and more effective treatment …

Resting State Functional Connectivity In The Default Mode Network: Relationships Between Cannabis Use, Gender, And Cognition In Adolescents And Young Adults, Megan Ritchay

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit substance in the United States, and nearly 1 in 4 young adults are current cannabis users. The psychoactive component of cannabis, THC, is active at cannabinoid receptors, type 1, or CB1 receptors. CB1 receptors play a critical role in neural development, and chronic cannabis use causes desensitization and downregulation of these receptors. Chronic cannabis use is associated with changes in resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) in the default mode network (DMN) in adolescents and young adults, although results are somewhat inconsistent across studies, likely due to differing methodologies. Additionally, cannabis effects appear …

Examining Black Americans’ Attitude Towards Mental Health Treatment, Alannia Mosley

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

EXAMINING BLACK AMERICANS’ ATTITUDE TOWARDS MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT

By

Alannia Mosley-Jenneford

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2021 Under the Supervision of Marty Sapp, Ph.D.

The purpose of this study was to expand on the current literature on help-seeking attitudes among Black Americans. There is little research exploring the variables associated with Black American’s help-seeking attitudes. However, research has documented the underutilization of service among Black Americans. Literature suggests Black Americans do not seek services until symptoms become persistent and interfere with daily functioning. Evidence supports the relationship between help-seeking attitudes and racial mistrust, racial identity and help-seeking attitudes, and racial …

Vulnerability And Resilience Of People And Places To Hurricane Damage In The Us. Gulf And Atlantic Coasts From 1950 To 2018, Gainbi Park

Theses and Dissertations

Extreme weather events are expected to increase as a consequence of climate change, increasing the intensity and frequency of natural hazards. Their catastrophic impact is attributable to both the geophysical characteristics of a hazardous event itself and the socio-demographic characteristics of people who are at a greater risk of harm in the aftermath of natural hazards. Previous studies have largely used a place-based approach, measuring the relative level of social vulnerability between places using a social vulnerability index (SoVI), a prevalent spatially explicit method in geographic scholarship. As a composite index, SoVI, has been criticized by scholars due to its …

Mental Health Stigma And Its Impact On Experiences Of Decent Work For Veterans, Matthew James Kessler

Theses and Dissertations

Veterans comprise roughly 8.3% of the U.S. adult population and 6.4% of the civilian labor force. Veterans tend to experience rates of both unemployment and underemployment at rates similar to their civilian peers. The duration of enlistment for military members has increased over the last four decades. Although longer enlistments may indicate better retention efforts and the ability to sustain individual careers in the military, this also increases potential rates for combat exposure and psychological distress. Additionally, military members tend to assume strong military identities through their time in the service.

Veterans often struggle with reintegrating into civilian life after …

How Are Police Lineups Represented In Popular Crime Shows In The U.S.A? An Examination Of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Luis Fernando Chavarria

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to explore police lineups as portrayed in crime-related TV shows in the U.S.A, such as Law & Order: SUV. The data used is from 25 episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The methodology used for this study is grounded theory and content analysis. results of the study by themes which are: DNA evidence, police lineups, and lineups used in court. From these themes codes were further highlighted and noted. Based on the episodes for the show and real-life lineup procedure practices, there were inconsistencies about clothing, physical characteristics of suspects, incorrect lineup …