Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Dating Violence Victimization And Posttraumatic Stress Outcomes Among Urban Adolescents: The Moderating And Mediating Role Of Positive Outlook, Carine Leslie

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent dating violence occurs far too frequently in early adolescence and is related to adverse mental health outcomes, including posttraumatic stress symptoms. One focus within this literature has been to determine and better understand how protective processes may function in influencing relations between risk factors and dating violence victimization. A protective factor that has not been explored in the dating literature is positive outlook. The current short-term longitudinal study investigated whether dating violence victimization at Time 1 predicted posttraumatic stress symptoms at Time 2 among African American middle school students and examine whether positive outlook moderated or mediated this relation. …

Family Relationship Hope In Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lindsay A. Kozachuk

Theses and Dissertations

Parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience unique parenting demands. Although these parents often report high levels of mental health challenges, such as depression (e.g., Scherer et al., 2019), they also report resilience factors such as family support and hope (e.g., Ekas et al., 2016). The present study investigated a novel construct, family relationship hope, in parents of children with ASD by examining the psychometric properties of the Family Relationship Hope Scale (FRHS), variables associated with family relationship hope and its link with depression. Factor analyses examined the factor structure and model fit of the FRHS. The post-crisis …

Climate Change, Social Media, And Generation Z, Melanie Morris

Theses and Dissertations

Recent publications report that adults known as Generation Z, between the ages of 18 to 23, increasingly rely upon social media to gain knowledge of social issues. Given social media's embeddedness in Generation Z's life, this study sought to understand if or how social media has influenced and possibly empowered Generation Z to act on social issues, particularly global climate change. This study used a phenomenological research method, which focused on the commonality of Generation Z's lived experience. Emerging themes collected through a literature review and data portray Generation Z as maturing into adulthood as tech-savvy, diverse, and inclusive self-starters. …

Ndikimi I Marketingut Përmes Mediave Sociale Tek Kompanitë Prodhuese Në Kosovë, Leutrim Haziraj

Theses and Dissertations

Ky punim ka për qëllim që të shqyrtojë ndikimin e marketingut që realizohet përmes mediave sociale në kompanitë prodhuese në Kosovë. Në punim konsiderohet madhësia e kompanisë, investimet financiare të dedikuara për aktivitetet e marketingut në media sociale. Punimi gjithashtu ka për qëllim të shqyrtojë edhe këndvërshtimin e individëve për marketingun në mediat sociale, të cilët potencialisht janë konsumatorë të kompanive që ne i kemi marrë për hulumtim në këtë punim. Metodologjia e punimit është bazuar në mbledhjen e të dhënave sasiore përmes fazës së hulumtimit me përdorimin e pyetësorëve online. Pyetësorët janë dërguar tek: Menaxherët e marketingut/personat përgjegjës për …

“Gjuha E Nxitjes Dhe E Urrejtjes Në Mediat E Shkruara Elektronike Në Kosovë”, Medina Sherifi

Theses and Dissertations

Përdorimi i mjeteve të komunikimit në mediat e shkruara ka shfaqur avantazhe të panumërta lidhur me përhapjen e informacionit drejt një audiencë më të gjerë duke tejkaluar kufijtë gjeografikë si dhe me kosto të ulët ekonomike. Por ndoshta për shkak të natyrës demokratike të përdorimit të mediave online, liria e shprehjes në mjetet e komunikimit online vërehet të përdoret e pakufizuar dhe e pakontrolluar. Gazetarët por edhe individët e thjeshtë mund të postojnë cdo gjë në rrjetet sociale apo portale të ndryshme, pa kriter apo limit, duke cuar rrjedhimisht në rritje të përdorimit të gjuhës së nxitjes dhe urrejtjes. Punimi …

Aspektet Legjislative Reformuese Të Administratës Publike Në Republikën E Kosovës, Lirie Mehmeti Osmani

Theses and Dissertations

Reformimi i Administratës publike është njëri nga elementet kyçe në aspektin e shtetndërtimit dhe integrimit të Republikës së Kosovës. Kjo reformë ka për synim rritjen e efikasitetit dhe efektivitetit të kësaj administrate, modernizimin e saj dhe përfaqësimin proporcional të popullsisë në organet e shtetit. Kosova ka kaluar një periudhë mjaft të vështirë të themelimit dhe ndërtimit të administratës shtetërore, posaqërisht fillet e para pas luftës së vitit 1999.

Në Kosovë janë duke u zhvilluar reforma në administratën publike nën udhëheqjen e Ministrisë së Administratës Publike dhe Zyrës. Këto veprime janë duke u mirëpritur nga Institucionet e Bashkimit Evropian, sepse kjo …

Sistemi Presidencial- Rasti I Shba-Ve, Qëndrim Sopa

Theses and Dissertations

Sistemi presidencial është një sistem qeverisës demokratik dhe republikan, ku një kryetar i qeverisë drejton një degë ekzekutive që është e ndarë nga dega legjislative. Ky kryetar qeverie në të shumtën e rasteve është edhe kreu i shtetit, i cili quhet president. Në teorinë bashkëkohore politike nuk ekzistojnë rregulla unike të funksionimit të sistemeve parlamentare sepse parlamentarizmi nuk paraqitet si një model i vetëm. Ai sot paraqitet në forma dhe variante të ndryshme, në varësi nga parimet dhe veçoritë e organizimit politik të shteteve të ndryshme.

Bazat e sistemit politik në SHBA janë përcaktuar me kushtetutën e vitit 1787 e …

Comparing Parent-Report And Performance-Based Measures Of Vestibular Processing, Elisha D. Chambers

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Comparing Parent-report and Performance-based Measures of Vestibular Processing

By Elisha Chambers, MS. OTR/L

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2020

Major Director: Stacey Reynolds, Ph.D OTR/L

Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy

In the field of occupational therapy, there is a need to explore the relationship between performance based-measures and parent-report measures of vestibular functioning because thorough assessment sets the foundation for effective intervention. Time constraints, child distractibility, and limited participation are all issues that pediatric occupational therapists face during evaluations. It …

The Relationship Of Internship Setting To Internship Directors' Perspectives On Cultural Competence In Psychological Assessment, Micharra Joshua

Theses and Dissertations

Psychological assessment represents a core competency and a highly specialized skill in professional psychology that is central to the identity of many practicing psychologists. However, more research is needed on the quality of assessment training that psychology doctoral students receive, particularly in relation to developing competence in the assessment of diverse individuals and groups. Moreover, diversity-related considerations for assessment should be broad and incorporate dimensions that include age, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, socioeconomic status, and other factors. This clinical dissertation consisted of an archival study that examined predoctoral internship directors' perspectives on their interns' preparation …

The Link Between Animal Cruelty And Violent Crime Victimization: An Assessment Of The Lifetime Impact Of Animal Cruelty On Secondary Victims, Amber Ahern

Theses and Dissertations

Animal cruelty and the secondary victimization of humans caused by animal cruelty are significant social problems. The dissertation presented a comparative research study on the developmental, psychological, and emotional symptomatology experienced by crime victims who had prior experiences with animal cruelty as a secondary victimization versus those who had not. Secondary victimization, as well as animal cruelty experiences, were operationally defined. This dissertation presented a broad literature review focusing on animal cruelty, its overall impact, and the link to other forms of criminality. This dissertation reviewed the importance of this line of research and possible implications for policy, future research, …

Self-Service Technology In A Library System: An Examination Of Potential Library Member Adoption Of Self-Service Checkout At A Southeastern County Library System, Grace Keisha Phillips-Daley

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation examined potential library member adoption of self-service technology (SST) in a southeastern county library system. The research framework of this study was based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). More distinctively, this study explored the significance of motivation factors, to include both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, for choosing to use SST in a library environment as the reasonable effect of familiarity in influencing the possibility of its adoption.

The researcher used a non-probability sampling method to identify participants for the study. Edmonds and Kennedy (2013) suggested that surveys were primarily utilized to observe trends, personal attitudes, or …

Economically Empowering Women As Foreign Policy: A Phenomenological Study On Building Peace In Northern Uganda Through Social Enterprise, Lisa Liberatore Maracine

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation advocates for the role of social enterprise in building sustainable peace by giving women agency and power in their communities. It examines this phenomenon through the lens of a social enterprise non-governmental organization, 31 Bits, that offers a valuable case study in the post-conflict Northern Uganda town of Gulu where over 100 women have been employed in the last ten years in a five-year training program that equips them to become fully self-sustainable through the creation of jewelry handmade from recycled paper. The holistic approach moves beyond the nonprofit model of charity and survival to giving their beneficiaries …

The Effect Of Participative Management On Workplace Belonging, Hannah Nichols

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to examine how participation affects employee perceptions of belonging within nonprofit organizations. A mixed-methods design was utilized that included a survey of 24 employees' perception of participation, belonging, and relationship with their supervisor, and 10 semi-structured interviews. A regression analysis showed that participation had a strong positive relationship to workplace belonging and that generally interviewees felt invested in and supported because of their participation. There was also a strong positive correlation between perceived participation and the quality of the supervisor-employee relationship. The main conclusions of the study were participative management affects workplace belonging and …

Homeless With Breast Cancer On Skid Row, Los Angeles: A Review Of Services For Women, Eva Dittrich

Theses and Dissertations

This study reviews the literature on breast cancer in general and narrows to within the context of the homeless population of Skid Row, Los Angeles, positing that the experience of breast cancer while homeless is a compounded traumatic experience with complex and numerous practical challenges. It poses the following question: What services are available to homeless women on Skid Row, Los Angeles, the information about which can be found online? Which and how many services are dedicated to breast cancer screenings and treatment? Are other types of cancer screening and treatment services advertised on the included service organizations' websites? A …

An Investigation Into Educational Employee Practices For Finding And Maintaining A Sense Of Meaning In Their Work, Elizabeth P. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed method study examined how educational employees in 3 public school districts in southeast Michigan make and/or create a sense of meaning in their work and sought to understand how relationships influence employee's sense of meaningfulness. Quantitative data collection came from a survey combining the Job Crafting Questionnaire (JCQ) and the Work and Meaning Index (WAMI). 266 employees completed the survey. Qualitative data collection included interviewing 17 employees with representation from each role category and each school district. This study found personnel working in the field of education in southeast Michigan find their work highly meaningful; and that relationships …

Talent Investment And Nonprofit Pay: A Study In The Arts Community, Sally E. Loftis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore employee perceptions of pay as part of a talent investment strategy at Penland School of Craft, the largest non-academic craft school in the United States. The study outlines action research completed when funds from a transformational endowment gift were used for employee needs. Study data reflected that structural and pay changes increased employee engagement. Study findings also informed recommendations for a nonprofit strategy to pay living wages connected to costs of living and a pay raise framework that supports different levels of employee development.

Work Hope And Work Volition: Exploring The Influence Of Community College Students’ Rurality And Socioeconomic Status, Jesse A. Wingate

Theses and Dissertations

Data from a sample of community college students (N = 478) in Virginia were used to examine relations among rurality, socioeconomic status, work hope, and work volition. Socioeconomic status, work hope, and work volition were positively associated. However, rurality, measured both as a continuous and categorical variable, was not correlated with work hope or work volition. Additional analyses showed convergence between measures of work hope and work volition confirming construct similarity. Results, limitations, implications, and recommendations for future study are included.

Cyberbullying: School Administrators' Perceptions Of Law And Prevalence, And Their Roles In Prevention, Intervention And Discipline, Suzan Gragg Denby

Theses and Dissertations

This study was aimed at investigating secondary school administrators’ experiences with and their perceptions of cyberbullying, as well as their intervention and prevention procedures. As technology has become ubiquitous in our society, students’ use has increased and impacted the school environment. Given the potential for cyberbullying and the negative effects of such, schools harbor the responsibility to prevent and intervene in such occurrences. This can be a tricky process.

This study included 12 administrators of secondary schools across eight school divisions in Virginia. Through an interview process, administrators spoke of their experiences with technology and cyberbullying incidents, and how they …

Bidirectional Associations Between Passive And Active Technology Use And Sleep: A Longitudinal Examination In Young Adolescents With And Without Adhd, Elizaveta Bourchtein

Theses and Dissertations

Many adolescents do not receive recommended amounts of sleep, and prevalence rates of sleep problems are particularly high among adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). One factor that may contribute to these sleep difficulties is technology use, and there is some evidence that the association between technology use and sleep may be bi-directional. Further, type of technology use (i.e., passive versus active) may be differentially associated with sleep. To date, most studies have evaluated these associations cross-sectionally and relied upon global and subjective ratings of technology use and sleep, which masks important day-to-day variability. The present study evaluated bi-directional associations between …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Caregiver Goals For Urban Children With And Without Asthma, Megan M. Carlson

Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric asthma is a major public health concern that disproportionately affects children of color and youth living in low-income, urban areas. The implications for public health, child health, and family functioning necessitates our understanding and addressing experiences by families who are facing barriers within their socio-demographic context in addition to the stressors associated with managing pediatric asthma. The current study applied qualitative methods to interviews with caregivers of children with and without asthma in an effort to more deeply connect with caregivers’ experiences and yield richer information about the intersection of identities as Black caregivers living in an urban setting …

Effects Of Violent And Nonviolent Life Stressors Among Urban Early Adolescents: Testing Competing Models Of Comorbid Distress And Externalizing Symptoms, Erin Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

The strong association between stressful life events and the wide-ranging spectrum of psychopathology has led some to advocate for the reconceptualization of traumatic stress. There has been a longstanding debate on whether these symptoms are best represented by using dimensional versus categorical approaches. Moreover, further understanding of the risk factors associated with various dimensions or patterns of comorbid emotional and behavioral problems could inform future research and intervention efforts. The current study tested competing variable- and person-centered approaches and examined how stressful life events are associated with different patterns of distress and externalizing symptoms among a predominantly African American and …

The Relationship Between Access To School Counseling And Students’ Attainment And Persistence In Postsecondary And Stem Education Outcomes, Dana Brookover

Theses and Dissertations

School counselors design and implement comprehensive school counseling programs to support students’ academic, college and career, and personal/social development (ASCA, 2019). This includes the school counselor’s important role in college readiness counseling and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) counseling (Falco, 2017; Gilfillan, 2018). The current study focused on the relationships between access to school counseling and students’ long-term college readiness outcomes. Through a Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent et al., 1994) lens, two models to predict (1) college attainment and persistence and (2) STEM major attainment and persistence, were tested through logistic regression analyses. Additionally, this study also …

Design Hub: Activating Community By Design, Ed Williams

Theses and Dissertations

MOTIVATION

At the turn of the century, Robert Putnam (2000, 27) wrote “...a powerful tide bore Americans into ever deeper engagement in the life of their communities, but a few decades ago that tide reversed and we were overtaken by a treacherous rip current.” Putnam is describing a loss of “social capital” throughout American society. Research suggests that many of our contemporary issues are the result of a decline in “social capital,” or “community.”

This pervasive lack of community is thought to be detrimental to “educational performance, safe neighborhoods, equitable tax collection, democratic responsiveness, everyday honesty, and even our health …

Community Reentry And Juvenile Justice: The Role Of Developmental Science In Legislative Decision-Making, Kristina A. Mcguire

Theses and Dissertations

The goals of the present study were to examine federal and selected state legislation for reentry initiatives within the juvenile justice system using content analysis, including determining if bill language utilized terminology reflecting research or developmental science. Thematic analysis was used to examine publicly available federal documents focused on juvenile justice reentry to understand how policymakers were promoting reentry initiatives. Federal bills and documents from April 1, 2008 to December 31, 2019 and state bills from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019 for Virginia, North Carolina, Iowa, Missouri, Maryland, New Jersey, Kansas, and Georgia that referenced juvenile justice and …

The Influence Of Peers On Adolescents' Physical Aggression: The Moderating Roles Of Parental Messages Supporting Fighting And Nonviolence, Jasmine Coleman

Theses and Dissertations

There is substantial support for the link between peer factors and adolescents’ aggression. Less is known about protective factors that may mitigate the relation between peer factors and aggression. Parental influences, such as parental messaging supporting fighting, have been directly associated with aggression. What remains unclear is the extent to which parental messages supporting fighting and nonviolence might serve as protective factors in relations between negative peer interactions and aggressive behavior. The purpose of this study was to investigate longitudinal effects of peerson adolescents’ physical aggression and to examine the extent to which parental messages supporting fighting and nonviolence moderated …

Acute Stress Disorder In Neonatal Intensiver Care Unit Mothers: Modeling Risk Factors And Trauma Appraisals Modeling, Allison Baylor 5435882

Theses and Dissertations

Postpartum mental health is a public health priority, particularly for mothers with infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), who may have experienced a precipitous birth, followed by a traumatic NICU hospitalization. However, little research has focused on NICUrelated posttraumatic stress (PTSS), despite its presumed prevalence and ripple effects on infant development, family functioning, and provider burnout during the critical early bonding period. In particular, little research has evaluated: early posttraumatic stress (Acute Stress Disorder symptoms, ASD), index and sequential traumas related to NICU/birth, and relations among preexisting risk factors, and trauma appraisals/ objective trauma characteristics (related to infant …

An Intuitive Eating Intervention For College Women With Disordered Eating: Evaluating Two Accessible And Affordable Approaches, Carolyn B. Burnette

Theses and Dissertations

Undergraduate women of all racial and ethnic groups engage in disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) at alarming rates. Most women do not receive treatment, with the largest disparities observed in women of color and those at higher weights. Prevailing interventions have limitations that could exacerbate these disparities, such as an emphasis on the thin ideal, which is often considered less relevant for some women of color. This is concerning, as disordered eating is often chronic and symptom crossover is common. Thus, a transdiagnostic, inclusive secondary prevention approach could enhance outcomes by addressing the spectrum of DEBs in diverse women. The purpose …

The Relationship Of Legal History To Mood And Substance Abuse Symptoms Among Homeless Men And Women In A Residential Recovery Program, Lily A. Mkhitarian

Theses and Dissertations

Homelessness is a devastating experience that impacts hundreds of thousands of individuals in the U.S. each day. It has been widely reported that homeless persons experience higher rates of mental disorder, substance abuse, and physical illness than domiciled individuals. Homelessness is also associated with increased risk of exposure to trauma. In addition, about a quarter of homeless individuals in the U.S. report a history of incarceration. Certainly there are multiple pathways to both homelessness and incarceration. More research is needed on the implications and consequences of having a legal history on homeless persons. The purpose of this archival study was …

Advancing Leadership Consciousness: Integrity From The Inside Out, Jessica Plancich Shinners

Theses and Dissertations

A poll conducted by the World Economic Forum (2015) found that 86% of respondents perceive that we are facing a global leadership crisis. At the time of this study, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the global ecology in dramatic and widespread ways. In light of this uncertain political, economic, sociological, and ecological climate, humanity is in need of consistent and reliable ways of developing exemplary leaders. As society enters into massive technological advancement, leaders and collaborators are at risk of obsolescence if we do not find innovative ways to harness innate human capacities to advance consciousness and co-evolve with technology. …

Relationship Of Demographic Characteristics Of Occupational And Physical Therapists Towards Their Knowledge And Attitude On Person-Centered Care In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Sadashiv R. Aggarwal

Theses and Dissertations

The study aimed to assess the relationship of specific demographic characteristics of occupational (OTs) and physical therapists (PTs) with their knowledge and attitudes towards principles of Person-Centered Care (PCC) in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The study further examined if knowledge and/or attitudinal differences exist between OTs and PTs towards PCC. The proposed descriptive study used the Person-Centered Care theory, which is a holistic (bio-psychosocial-spiritual) health care delivery approach. PCC delivers services that are respectful and individualized, allowing negotiation of care, and offering choice through a therapeutic relationship where persons receiving care are empowered to be involved in health decisions at …