Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Professional Helper Engagement And Student Perspectives In K-12 Nontraditional ​Educational Settings​, Rachel Gilreath

Theses and Dissertations

Nontraditional educational settings (NES) cater to diverse student populations, including those considered at-potential or at-risk. Research on interventions and the role of helping professionals in these settings is limited. This dissertation comprises two studies aimed at elucidating interventions and support mechanisms for at-potential students in NES, alongside exploring the role of school counselors in fostering their holistic development. The first study conducts a systematic review synthesizing existing research on interventions in NES, revealing insights into research scarcity, author diversity, and areas for future inquiry. Subsequently, the second study investigates the perceptions of at-potential youth within NES, particularly in the southeastern …

An Emic Conceptualization Of Veteran, “You're Either One Of Two Things; You're Captain America Or You're Broken”, Steven Wahle

Theses and Dissertations

The Global War on Terror (GWOT) conflicts have been sustained by an all-volunteer force for over 20 years. There have been no drafts, war bond drives, nor rationing. This is a departure from previous prolonged military conflicts in U.S. history. Volunteers with veteran status are often venerated publicly to express gratitude for their voluntary military service. However, the criterion for veteran status is inconsistent.

In the U.S., former military members tend to be regarded on one of two ends of a spectrum as archetypes in attempts to honor such service. On one end is the veteran hero veteran to be …

Four Essays On Banking, Bank Management, And Bank Lending, Jiarui Guo

Theses and Dissertations

This abstract synthesizes findings from four studies examining the liquidity creation, bank-borrower relationships, corporate capital structure, and managerial impact on firm performance, particularly within the context of banking and financial crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

The research first identifies the dual shocks of the pandemic—disease and policy-driven (government shutdowns)—on bank liquidity creation. I find that these shocks prompted banks to reallocate liquidity creation from assets (decreasing loans) to liabilities (increasing liquid deposits), which reduced profits and heightened risks.

In exploring bank-borrower relationships, the study highlights the role of banks in utilizing soft private information, such as the moral character of …

Exploring The Intergenerational Links Between Parent And Child Couple Conflict Styles: Attachment Behaviors And Forgiveness As Moderators, Ashley Forbush

Theses and Dissertations

Conflict is a fundamental element of couple relationships, and the styles of conflict partners use can either enhance or undermine couples' relationship satisfaction and stability. Previous research has found clear links between parent and adult children's conflict strategies, but little is known about how adult children can change their conflict approach from what they observed in their family of origin, especially when they come from homes with dysfunctional forms of conflict. To better understand what factors help children change their style of conflict, the current study used data from 1,077 married couples from the CREATE study. Multinomial logit regression was …

Exploring How Caregiver Multiracial Socialization Is Related To Multiracial Identity Pride, Self-Esteem, And Racial Political Identity In Emerging Adulthood, Jennie Jasperson

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined how caregiver multiracial socialization processes play a role in multiracial emerging adults' multiracial identity pride self-esteem, and racial political identity. The constructs of caregiver multiracial socialization, multiracial identity pride in emerging adulthood, sense of self-esteem in emerging adulthood, and racial political identity in emerging adulthood were examined among 387 multiracial emerging adults between the ages of 18-29 from across the United States. To examine these relationships, multiple regressions were run to analyze data. The results of this study underscore the significance of understanding the role that socialization processes within multiracial families play in ethnic racial identity …

A Social Ecology Model For Social Determinants Of Health As Psychosis Risk Factors, Katie Beck-Felts

Theses and Dissertations

Social determinants of health (SDOHs) significantly impact psychosis risk beyond heritability. However, there is a need for an organizing framework to observe how these diverse elements concurrently predict psychosis risk. This study examines SDOHs as psychosis risk factors using a four-level model, aligned with Bronfenbrenner's social ecology theory. The study aims to assess the proposed model’s ability to predict psychosis risk. Specifically, it is hypothesized that each socioecological level of the model would predict psychosis risk with more proximal SDOHs (e.g., individual level vs community) exhibiting stronger predictive power, aligning with Social Ecology theory. College students (N = 210) completed …

Defensiveness And Accountability In Couple Relationships: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Analysis, Collin Joshua Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Defensiveness is empirically well documented as a factor in breakup and divorce which have wide ranging consequences for adults and affected children, however, little research exists on what Gottman has called the antidote to defensiveness which is taking an accurate amount of accountability. The purpose of this study was to use qualitative methods to illuminate the microprocesses which take place between partners in interactions regarding accountability and defensiveness. The data was taken from part of a larger project on healthy and unhealthy relationships where semi-structured interviews were conducted from a diverse sample recruited through convenience and theoretical sampling. Constructivist grounded …

Chronic Stress And Well-Being: Testing Mindfulness As A Proposed Method To Decrease Stress In Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Madeline M. Gillies

Theses and Dissertations

Parenting is a demanding role that encompasses many responsibilities and challenges. When a child is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, there are additional demands on the parent's time, energy, and financial resources, which likely leads to increased levels of chronic stress for parents. This dissertation examines the differences in chronic stress levels between parents who have children with autism and parents who do not, using hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as a benchmark. This dissertation also explores reducing parental stress by introducing a mindfulness intervention. Participants (n = 68) were recruited and divided into two groups: Parents of children who have …

Raising Hope: A Preliminary Investigation Of Hope-Strengthening Parenting, Anna Sellers Calley

Theses and Dissertations

Hope Theory defines hope as a cognitive-motivational process of seeking and obtaining goals through agency thinking and pathway building, with substantive connection to many desirable outcomes. While hope is theorized to begin developing early in life, this assumption has never been empirically investigated. This is due to limitations in established hope measurement. There is an additional gap in the research surrounding the role of parents in the development of hope. In this study, I address each of these gaps by utilizing a novel measure of hope in early childhood and running a multiple linear regression model to investigate potential connections …

Electrifying Choices: Decoding Electric Vehicle Adoption And Policy Incentives In America, William T. Ball

Theses and Dissertations

Countries, states, and municipalities are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector by leveraging policy incentives to promote electric vehicle (EV) adoption. I study the efficacy of state-level time-of-purchase rebate incentives in the United States between 2016 and 2022, and employ a generalized difference-in-difference two-way fixed effects model that enables causal inference. I find that EV rebate incentives cause an increase of 1 EV per 1,000 vehicles. EV rebate incentives also cause a decrease in gasoline powered vehicles by 3 vehicles per 1,000, and a decrease in diesel powered vehicles by 1 per 1,000. EV rebate incentives …

Maternal And Other Social Influences On Signature Whistle Structure Of A Captive Group Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), Riley Synan

Theses and Dissertations

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are social animals that use acoustics as a major method of communicating across a marine environment. They also live in fission-fusion groups and thus interact with many conspecifics over a lifetime. Individual dolphins have a signature whistle that functions as an identity call and serves to maintain group cohesion in murky waters or during reconciliation. Dolphins exhibit vocal learning and the signature whistle of a calf may be modeled after the whistle of their mother or another individual in the pod as they develop. Mother-calf pairs or other related animals sometimes have similar whistle types. Some …

Assessing Comprehension And Competence In Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) On The Concept: Do Something Different, Charlotte M. Mulligan

Theses and Dissertations

Many studies have been conducted using a training paradigm based on the research of Pryor et al. (1969) wherein the participants are trained on the abstract concept: do something different. This paradigm challenges working memory and requires the participants to respond with a behavior, either previously trained or novel, which has not yet been offered within the session. The work of Braslau-Schneck (1994) expanded this concept and demonstrated the ability of dolphins to successfully complete this task in synchronized pairs, though the method of accomplishing this task remained unclear. The present research was conducted as part of a broader …

Envelope Of Ruin : Material And Spatial Responses Of New York City Homeless To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kyle C. Maxey

Theses and Dissertations

This paper attempts to understand human material responses to catastrophic urban collapse. Using Henri Lefebvre's theories of spatial production and the history of a section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) this paper develops a theoretical framework for understanding the dynamics present in the creation of an urban ruin. Through the observation of homeless material responses, particularly the construction of encampments under the BQE, during the COVID-19 pandemic "lock-down" in New York City, this thesis illustrates how populations respond to urban ruin and social collapse. Moving forward, this paper hopes to serve as a synthesis of urban theory and archeological observation …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Mental Health- A Comparison Between Gender & Race, Taliyah Quinn

Theses and Dissertations

My study will focus on the rise of mental health toward the African American, Latinx and Asian Americans communities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The spread of the virus, the high percentage rate of infections among minorities, isolation, quarantining and socio economic disadvantages played a major role in the increase of mental disparities.

Enhancing The Visual Environment Of Indoor Housed Laboratory Cynomolgus Macaques (Macaca Fascicularis) To Reduce Stress And Maladaptive Behavior, Jeannine C. Rodgers

Theses and Dissertations

Nonhuman primates housed in indoor laboratory environments are generally exposed to nondescript background visual stimuli. This environment is not ideal for species whose primary sensory modality is visual. To provide a more naturalistic visual environment that would potentially improve their welfare, this study assessed the efficacy of a passive natural visual stimulus in the reduction of stress and stereotypy and agonistic behaviors in a cohort of four (2 male, 2 female) Cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) housed in an indoor laboratory facility in New York City. The macaques were exposed to four different videos depicting scenes of natural landscapes that were …

Caring Until It Hurts: A Survey Of Compassion Fatigue And Moral Injury Among Wild Animal Caregivers And Its Implications For Animal Welfare In Zoos, Aquariums, Rehabilitation Centers, And Sanctuaries, Nadiya L. Delgado

Theses and Dissertations

Caregivers for captive wild animals are fundamental to the overall care, welfare, and conservation of animals in their charge, fulfilling diverse and critical roles. Caring for others, whether humans or animals, exposes caregivers to compassion fatigue – a state of emotional and physical exhaustion resulting from prolonged empathetic engagement with those they assist, and moral injury – psychological distress that arises from actions, or the lack of them, which violate one's moral or ethical code. This distress can manifest as intense feelings of guilt, shame, or a sense of betrayal by oneself or others. These phenomena are pertinent in environments …

Sex Differences In The Diets Of Forest-Dwelling Baboons (Papio Anubis), Kara Hartunian

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to eat and switch between many food sources is an adaptative feeding strategy utilized for meeting nutritional needs across different environments, seasons, and physiological conditions. Baboons (genus Papio) excel at both dietary flexibility and foraging selectively, and consequently have one of the most widespread geographic distributions in the Order. To further expand to our understanding of baboon feeding ecology, I analyzed foraging activity and the nutritional characteristics of the diets of the relatively understudied rainforest baboons (Papio anubis) living in Kibale National Park, Uganda. I also investigated if there are differences in food type choice …

Dyslexia And Proofreading: Examining Error Detection And Cognitive Compensation, Gillian Glasser

Theses and Dissertations

Little is currently known about how well dyslexic readers can recognize written errors in English as compared to typical readers. The current study asked adult monolingual English-speakers (97 typical and 81 dyslexic) to detect spelling errors in isolated words and single-sentence contexts. Outcomes and possible dyslexic compensatory mechanisms are discussed.

Addressing Lead Exposure Disparities In Milwaukee: A Geographical Analysis Of Interventions And Equitable Strategies, Miracle Mark

Theses and Dissertations

Lead exposure is still a major public health issue, especially for children who are the most vulnerable due to the negative effects on their development. Inner-city neighborhoods are often disproportionately impacted because they tend to have older housing stock, which includes sources of lead such as lead paint and lead service lines. While many studies have examined different types of lead interventions in the U.S., including both primary and secondary interventions, little is known about the lead intervention landscape in the city of Milwaukee. Specifically, it is unclear whether the geography of intervention matches up with the geography of exposure. …

Unlocking The Past: The Raetian Culture And The Frankfurth Legacy At The Milwaukee Public Museum, Mikayla Fehring

Theses and Dissertations

The cultural group called the Raetians, also known as the Fritzens-Sanzeno Culture, inhabited the Tirol area of the Alps (modern day north-east Italy and south-west Austria) between the 6th century BCE and the 1st century CE. Defined largely based on their material culture, which incorporated elements borrowed from the Etruscans and the continental Celts, the Raetians were eventually annexed by the Roman empire. German American antiquarian William Frankfurth excavated Raetian remains in various locations in the Tirol in the late 19th century. Following his unexpected death in Vienna in 1891, several crates of artifacts from his excavations were shipped back …

Organic Residue Analysis And Archaeology: A Critical Evaluation Of Ora Methods, Christopher James Rowe

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACTORGANIC RESIDUE ANALYSIS AND ARCHAEOLOGY: A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF ORA METHODS by Christopher James Rowe The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 2024 Under the Supervision of Professor Bettina Arnold

In recent years the field of archaeology has been increasingly interested in applying hard science techniques to different aspects of ancient life in new ways. One area of research that has been pushing the boundaries of hard science applications to understanding past societies is the archaeology of ancient alcohol. The rise of Organic Residue Analysis (ORA) has resulted in increased interdisciplinary collaborations between anthropologists, archaeologists, biochemists and other ancillary disciplines interested in revealing …

“This Knowledge Bears With It Certain Responsibilities To God And Our Fellow Men”: Missionary Motivations, Collecting Behavior, And The J.H. Wenberg Collection At The Milwaukee Public Museum, Hailey Lorenzen

Theses and Dissertations

Missionaries have contributed greatly to the ethnographic collections of museums, yet the connection between ethnographic objects and the Christian project that prompted their collection is often lost in the museum record. This thesis aims to reconcile a collection at the Milwaukee Public Museum (Accession Number 24531) with the evangelization work of its collectors, Joseph Hugo and Edna Wenberg. From 1902 to 1920, J.H. Wenberg served as a colporteur and missionary across South America; during that time, he developed a passionate interest in the Aymara of Bolivia and became an advocate for Indigenous people within the Methodist Church. This thesis combines …

A Non-Invasive Approach To Historic Cemetery Studies In Milwaukee And Germany: Was The American Dream Worth It?, Bryan John Schutte

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis tests a non-invasive approach using readily accessible historic cemetery data to examine 19th-century immigration to the United States, with a focus on the narrative of the American Dream. This narrative, which is embedded within modern American culture and history, is an inspiring tale of people, mainly immigrants, starting over in a new country and creating a better life for themselves and their posterity. What motivates immigration is the idea that anybody can achieve the American Dream. But is this true? Are immigrants necessarily going to have a better life in a new country? What do we know about …

The Impact Of Discharge Type On Military To Civilian Reintegration: Conformity To Masculinity As A Moderating Factor, Kirsten Thiemke

Theses and Dissertations

Literature has shown that reintegrating back into civilian life and mentality has proven to be one of the most difficult aspects of transitioning from military service. Based on aspects such as qualifications for benefits, perceived stigma, and amount of community support, discharge status at the time of separation has been shown to have an impact on how separated service members reintegrate. Additionally, rigid adherence to the hypermasculine environment of the United States military could serve to further complicate reintegration for service members. The current study evaluates the relationship between discharge status and military to civilian reintegration, with adherence to traditional …

Pemātesen Atāēqnōhkakan: A Divergent Subset Of The Life Is Sacred Project, Rachel Skarsten

Theses and Dissertations

Murder-suicide constitutes a particularly tragic form of violence that has a powerful effect on communities. However, it remains severely understudied. No research to date has examined the incidence of death by murder-suicide events within American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) communities, despite AI/AN persons being at a disproportionately high risk for suicide and other forms of violence such as stalking, trafficking, physical violence and psychological aggression by intimate partners, and sexual violence. This project represents a subset of a larger Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin (MITW)/University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) partnership to address suicide mitigation within the Menominee tribal community. This project’s purpose …

Pemātesen Atāēqnōhkakan: A Three-Year Subset Of The Life Is Sacred Project, Tory Skye Mertz

Theses and Dissertations

The science of suicidology is in its infancy empirically. While some critical risk and protective factors have been identified (Nock et al., 2020 ), the field struggles for a coherent approach to conceptualizing, evaluating, and intervening with those who present with risk for death by suicide, as death rates climb in the United States. Suicide (completion) Rates among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons are currently the highest, and disproportionately impact tribal communities and AI/AN populated urban area at an alarming rate that should call the attention of all healthcare professionals and researchers. (CDC, 2023). Presently, mainstream approaches and …

“When They Say, ‘I Hear You,’ They Truly Hear Me”: An Application Of Theories Of Resilience To Occupational Trauma Exposure, Jacki Willenborg

Theses and Dissertations

Trauma workers, or those who regularly encounter psychologically distressing situations as part of their job, are at increased risk of mental illness, PTSD, and emotional burnout. However, not all trauma workers develop PTSD despite their regular exposure to traumatic scenes. This study sought to answer the question of how trauma workers’ co-worker relationships contribute to their resilience (i.e., their ability to buffer the negative psychological effects of their work) and the ways in which trauma workers communicate about their work and their stressors with one another. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 17 trauma workers sought to identify processes involved in trauma …

Is It The Player Or The Game: A Metanalytic Study Of Video Games And Aggression, Brandon Straight

Theses and Dissertations

The present study is a comprehensive meta-analytic investigation exploring the relationship between exposure to violent video games and aggressive behavior. The present study explores the underlying effects of violent video game exposure and individuals’ aggressive behavior. The literature review examines previous research; including contradictory findings on the influence of violent video games on aggression, the significance of social learning theory in behavior comprehension, and the impact of age on aggressive behaviors. Furthermore, it explores the Buss-Perry model of trait aggression and its application to video game studies. The study outlines its methods which encompass literature search strategies, inclusion criteria, variables, …

Bangladeshi Working Mothers’ Work-Life Experience, Jannatul Ferdous Zinia

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the experiences of educated working mothers in Dhaka, Bangladesh, focusing on challenges encountered and the communication strategies they utilized for managing work-life boundaries. Grounded in Clark’s (2000) work-family border theory, an in-depth interview study with nine participants was conducted. Key findings of the thematic analysis highlight that the challenges faced by Bangladeshi working mothers are influenced by societal expectations, familial pressures, and workplace dynamics about boundary management. Participants navigated these challenges using various communication strategies, such as directly requesting childcare support from extended family members, communicating work schedules with family, having purposeful conversations with their spouse, …

The Effects Of Orienting Attention During Production Training In Learning Nonnative Segmental And Prosodic Contrasts, Dong Jin Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Research on language learners' attention suggests that manipulating attention is beneficial in the language learning process as it facilitates the "noticing" of specific linguistic aspects. The current study investigated the effects of directing learners' attention to segments and prosody in English phonetic training. Korean learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) were divided into two groups: one received segment-oriented training focusing on coda voicing contrasts, and the other received prosody-oriented training focusing on low vs. high attachments in relative clauses.The results showed that both groups successfully acquired segmental contrasts, with no significant difference between the two groups, suggesting that …