Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Reducing Anticipatory Anxiety: Does Values-Affirmation Increase Self-Compassion?, Elena Harwood

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions for social anxiety incorporate techniques such as self-compassion and values articulations. Self-compassion has been shown to reduce anticipatory anxiety in students with high social anxiety but the impact of values-affirmation has not yet been explored. Additionally, past research suggests that values-affirmation may foster self-compassion. Three studies were conducted to explore whether values-affirmation, too, reduces anticipatory anxiety (related to an upcoming speech task) and to evaluate whether self-compassion is a mechanism of change. In study one, participants (N = 93) were randomly assigned to a self-compassion manipulation, a values-affirmation condition, or a control condition. After controlling …

Disclosing Mental Health: The Experience Of Post Secondary Students Transitioning Into A Career/Experiential Learning Environment, Jennifer Mei

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The stigma associated with mental health and underrepresentation of students with disabilities in higher education is well documented (Barnard-Brak, Lechtenberger, and Tan 2010, p. 411). This presents a disclosure problem for post-secondary students with mental health challenges who are transitioning into a career or experiential learning environment. If students require workplace accommodations, they may find themselves faced with a decision to disclose mental health challenges to a faculty supervisor, career services practitioner or potential employer. Difficulties with mental health can be experienced because of a diagnosed mental health disability or be a symptom of another diagnosable disability.

The research begins …

Rainbow Writes: Peer-Led Creative Writing Groups’ Potential For Promoting 2slgbtq+ Youth Wellbeing, Ceilidh Harrison

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Though mainstream acceptance for the 2SLGBTQ+ community is on the rise, elevated risks of mental health challenges still pervade this community, particularly for youth growing up in this changing environment. Based on previous literature citing the benefits of creative interventions and youth autonomy, the current study sought to explore the implementation of an online, peer-led creative writing program as a possible means to increase emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing in 2SLGBTQ+ youth. Twenty self-identifying 2SLGBTQ+ youth from across Canada were recruited to form two 10-week, online peer-led creative writing groups titled “Rainbow Writes”. Based on Lerner et al.’s (2003) “Five …

Covid-19 And The Correctional Environment: An Analysis Of Canadian Correctional Officers’ Experiences Of Stress And Mental Health During The Pandemic, Kristina Kocsis

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This national survey research project examined the experiences of Canadian correctional officers (COs) in providing essential correctional services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study sampled COs from several provinces across Canada (N=596) to better understand how the pandemic impacted stress and wellbeing of this population by exploring seven constructs including resiliency, workplace safety, changes in role or responsibilities, work stress, COVID- 19 related stress, perceived support, and positive mental health. The transactional model of stress and coping and the biopsychosocial model of stress were used as theoretical frameworks to investigate stress responses among COs. Respondents reported significant changes to their …

The Combined Transitions Of Great Power Politics And The Global Energy System A Comparative Analysis Of China, The United States And Russia, Roger Boyd

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The objective of this study is to provide a framework that allows for a holistic and integrated analysis of what will become, if they are not already, the two most significant determinants of foreign policy – the need for a fundamental change in the global energy system and the nature of major power competition within the international system. It specifically rejects the eco-modernist framing of the required energy transition as simply a technocratic challenge, and instead accepts the large-scale nature of the social, political and economic changes and disruptions that will be required. By framing these changes within the dynamic …

The Social Science Approach To International Law, Daniel Abebe, Adam S. Chilton, Tom Ginsburg

Faculty Scholarship

For over a hundred years, scholars have argued that international law should be studied using a “scientific” approach. Throughout the twentieth century, however, the most prominent methods used to study international law primarily consisted of different theoretical and analytical claims about how international law should be developed, interpreted, and critiqued. It is only in the first two decades of the twenty-first century that the conventional social science approach to research — identifying a specific question, developing hypotheses, using a research design to test those hypotheses based on some form of qualitative or quantitative data, and presenting conclusions, all while acknowledging …

Texas Silver-Haired Legislature Foundation And Texas Silver-Haired Legislature 2021 And 2023 Amended Bylaws, Texas Silver-Haired Legislature

Texas Silver-Haired Legislature

Texas Silver-Haired Legislature Foundation and Texas Silver-Haired Legislature 2021 and 2023 Amended Bylaws.

Book Review: Orthodox Christian Renewal Movements In Eastern Europe, Walter Sawatsky

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A review of Aleksandra Djurić Milovanović & Radmila Radić, eds. Orthodox Christian Renewal Movements in Eastern Europe. London: Palgrave MacMillan, 2017. ISBN 978-3-319-63354-1, 339 pp. Index.

Connecting Youth To Nature: Environmental Education’S Role In The Future Of Wellbeing And Stewardship, Claire Generous

Pomona Senior Theses

In 2005, the term Nature-deficit disorder was coined by Richard Louv to describe the childhood costs of alienation from nature including diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, and higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses. The increasing use of technology, stricter parenting, local ordinances, biophobia, socioeconomic status, and coronavirus all contribute to Nature-deficit disorder. To mitigate and reverse Nature-deficit disorder and its consequences, children must connect with nature. Nature connection improves children’s health and wellbeing and increases environmentally responsible behavior. Nature connection can improve physical, spiritual, psychological, and social wellbeing. Children who spend more time in nature report lower …

Filtering Out The Effects Of Zebra Mussels: Climate, Land Use, And Water Clarity In Minnesota Lakes, Kristina Linder

Pomona Senior Theses

Since their discovery in 1988, zebra mussels have colonized bodies of water across the United States. Having ecological and economic implications, zebra mussels have made noticeable changes in the lakes they inhabit. One of these specific impacts is altered lake water clarity.

Using data collected by agencies and monitoring programs, this research utilizes regression analysis to examine factors impacting water clarity, and to see how zebra mussels work in conjunction with these factors. The analysis indicates that zebra mussel growth and precipitation have a positive relationship with increased water clarity, while air temperature has a negative relationship with water clarity. …

Optical Hygiene And Modernity: A Site Analysis Of Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant Using Lefebvre’S Triad, William R. Stone

Pomona Senior Theses

Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant sits at the edge of Los Angeles County as an almost unknowable infrastructure. Unlike the city block, the grocery store, or one’s own home, this integral part of the urban landscape asks not to be experienced by its users, only the employees who work there every day. This place, which I’d hesitate to call a place, amalgamates preconceptions about infrastructure, sewage, purity, danger, modern architecture, and the role of the state.

In this thesis I conduct a site analysis of Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant in three parts, or moments based loosely on Henri Lefebvre’s conceptual triad: …

“Insurance Doesn’T Care About The Patient”: An Institutional Ethnography Of The Influence Of Professional Autonomy On The Provision Care For Medicaid Dental Patients With Disabilities, Stephanie Lau

Theses and Dissertations

In terms of unmet needs for people with disabilities (PWD), dental care is number three behind residential care and employment (Fisher, 2012). Regardless of disability, oral healthcare traverses all disability diagnoses and can be a significant factor in quality of life (Deckler, 2011; Griffin et al., 2007; Norwood & Slayton, 2013). When attempting to secure oral healthcare, people with disabilities face many challenges, including lack of access, lack of provider education on proper care of PWD, and difficulty finding a willing dental provider (Deckler, 2011; Fisher, 2012; Kennedy, 2009).

The purpose of this study was to investigate professional practices and …

Physiological And Subjective Effects Of Protonated Nicotine Liquids In Tobacco Users, Alisha Eversole

Theses and Dissertations

Electronic cigarettes (ECIGs) produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that often contains nicotine. The nicotine can be protonated, potentially making the aerosol easier to inhale than freebase nicotine. This study’s purpose was to determine, in inhaled tobacco product users, the effects of three concentrations of protonated nicotine aerosolized at two different power settings (in watts).

Twenty-two participants completed six sessions that varied by liquid nicotine concentration (10, 15, or 30 mg/ml protonated nicotine) and device power (15 or 30 W). Participants took 10 puffs from each product and then used each product for 60 minutes ad libitum. Plasma …

Communicating To Improve The Lived Experiences Of Learning During Covid-19, Nandi Prince

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Teaching Authors About Predatory Journals In The One-On-One Consultation, Monica Berger

Publications and Research

This recipe guides academic librarians through author consultations related to predatory or questionable publishers. Lists of predatory journals provide quick answers to questions but leave authors in the dark. The focus of the consultation is to closely examine negative and positive indicators for a specific journal. Although it is valuable for authors to learn the signals of predatory journals, it is equally if not more important to emphasize tools like Think.Check.Submit that stimulate critical and analytical thinking about publishing choices. The consultation will result in a more empowered and scholarly information literate colleague and provides opportunities to introduce authors to …

Influence Of Covid-19 On Changes In Dressing Behaviours Of U.S. Adults., Diana Saiki, Jay Kandiah, Alyssa Dana Adomaitis, James A. Jones

Publications and Research

The objective of this research was to assess the impact of the currently lived COVID-19 pandemic on dressing behaviours of a cross-section of the U.S. adult population. Participants (N = 844) completed a survey via Amazon Mechanical Turk which evaluated frequency of wearing of eight dressing categories—accessories, informal dress, formal dress, protective dress, hair practices, scent products, appearance enhancement, and make-up (females) prior to and during the pandemic. Physical, emotional and psychological self-care and demographics were also collected. Overall, during the pandemic participants engaged in less dressing behaviours, dressed informal clothing (e.g., jeans, t-shirts) and incorporated protective dress. These findings …

The Student Experience Of Higher Education During The Covid-19 Pandemic: How Class And Race Shape Socially Distanced Learning At A Public University, Alice M. Quach

Theses and Dissertations

While prior research has examined trends toward growing uncertainty and precarity for young adults within the economy and higher education, the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be exacerbating these existing inequalities and risks. Drawing from 30 semi-structured in-depth interviews with college students at a large Southern and urban public university, this study examines how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting students’ learning experiences, and how those experiences are differentially shaped, in turn, by their class and race. This exploratory research illuminates our understanding of the multiple mechanisms by which the COVID-19 pandemic is shaping existing inequalities in the higher education system, mostly …

Influence Of Immigration Status On The 10-Year Trajectories Of Psychosocial Functioning In Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury, Chimdindu Ohayagha

Theses and Dissertations

The population of racially/ethnically diverse groups within the U.S. is growing at an exponential rate. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the number of foreign-born individuals in the U.S. to be nearly 40 million or 13% of the total population (Grieco et al., 2012). Racially/ethnically diverse groups in the U.S. have a higher incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI; Gary et al., 2009). Although racial/ethnic disparities have been documented in numerous outcomes, research has yet to thoroughly explore differences in rehabilitation outcomes for immigrants relative to U.S.-born individuals. The purpose of this study was to compare the functional and mental health …

Evaluating The Effects Of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems On Smoking Reduction, Negative Mood, And Stress Among Smokers With Mental Illness, Cosima Hoetger

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Smokers with mental illness (MI) are disproportionately affected by negative health outcomes. Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) may represent a harm reduction tool for those who reduce and/or replace their cigarettes with ENDS. Little previous research has examined how smokers with MI respond to ENDS. This analysis aimed to address this research gap using secondary data from a randomized controlled trial of ENDS varying in nicotine delivery among smokers with and without current MI. The aims were to test 1) the effects of MI status, condition, and time on changes in smoking behavior and negative mood and stress measures, …

Undergraduate Student Attitudes About Search Data Privacy In Academic Libraries: A Qualitative Research Study, Laura Gariepy

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Purpose and goals

This paper presents the findings of a qualitative study on undergraduate students’ attitudes about search data privacy in academic libraries, and their preferences for how librarians should handle information about what they search for, borrow, and download. This is an important topic due to the increasingly data-driven nature of assessment in higher education, contrasted with libraries’ professional commitment to privacy which has historically limited the amount of data collected about student library use. Although the literature is rich with evidence of librarians’ commitment to user privacy, very few studies address user perspectives on this matter.

The central …

The Basic Rules Of Doing A Good Search And Search Tips - Revised, Roy E. Brown

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

This is a handout that is used as a reference for those who are learning to more effectively search databases for assignments and evidence-based practice projects. The revised handout contains information related to the databases that may be searched as well as about Google Scholar.

Please contact the author for a version that can be reused and rebranded.

Qualities Of Academic Librarians Who Advance Into Middle Management: An Exploratory Factor Analysis, Megan Hodge, Nicole Spoor, Cassidy Sheehan

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

The path to management is difficult for academic librarians without formal supervisory experience, especially in public services. However, little research on how frontline librarians without supervisory experience advance into middle management has been conducted. To determine the extent to which a relationship between certain personal characteristics and librarians’ likelihood to advance exists, a survey was administered to public services librarians who had been promoted into middle management within the previous 5 years. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that charismatic presence, long-term thinking, instruction experience, customer service orientation, interpersonal skills, and ability to achieve tenure/promotion in rank contributed to librarians’ successful advancement.

Hand On The Net: Helping Land Job Candidates For Liaison Departments, John Glover

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Academic library liaisons can uniquely support job searches carried out by their liaison units. This support is a service to the liaison unit, as well as an opportunity to deepen relationships with faculty, staff, and students affiliated with those units. Interactions with candidates afford opportunity to communicate with candidates from many different institutions, providing valuable exchanges of information. Finally, this kind of support inevitably leads to new or strengthened internal communication at the liaison's library.

The Evidence Based Practice Question Development & Search Tips Checklist (Revised), Roy E. Brown

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

The Evidence Based Practice Question Development and Search Tips Checklist is a tool that is used in instructional sessions with nurses in reference to evidence-based practice and literature searching. It is intended as a reference handout. The revised handout contains information related to the databases that may be searched as well as about Google Scholar.

It is under a creative commons license. If you would like a version that can be rebranded for your organization to use, please contact the author for an editable version.

The Perfect Mix: Leveraging Library Collections And Bookstore Partnerships For Textbook Affordability, Jessica Kirschner, Hillary Miller

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

This recipe outlines a program designed to provide a low-barrier first step introducing faculty to textbook affordability using library collections. By comparing bookstore adoption information with library collections and notifying faculty of unlimited user ebooks, this program helps courses approach zero textbook costs without requiring much change from the faculty.

Anti-Communist Politics Of The Second Red Scare And How It Affected Hollywood And The Types Of Movies Being Made, Maddy Everson

Honors Program Theses

During the Second Red Scare from 1947 to 1957, anti-communist sentiment was rampant and affected Hollywood and the types of movies being made. This was due to governmental agencies—as well as non-governmental institutions and people—being suspicious of and investigating anyone who was suspected of having communist ties. This caused a level of fear that affected what was shown in the content of the movies and who could make them. It is important to examine how the movies and film industry was influenced by the Second Red Scare. This is because Hollywood was strongly affected not only at this time but …

The Administration Of American Elections During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sydney Wagner

Honors Program Theses

Elazar identifies three main political subcultures that intermingle to form the national political culture: traditionalistic, moralistic, and individualistic. I am using these three political subcultures to see if they offer an insight into each state’s decision regarding election administration. In times of crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, will states react differently as they attempt to administer elections and does political culture inform such varied responses? I conducted case studies of Iowa, Georgia, and Pennsylvania and applied a series of variables including the strength of each state’s voter ID law, the voter turnout, state office control, and relevant events. After …

Exploring Voting Habits And Attitudes Of Lgbtq+ College Students In The United States, Jordan Weber

Honors Program Theses

Citizens of the United States are regularly reminded of the importance of voting in elections. However, data shows the youngest voters turnout at the polls in far fewer numbers than older generations. The same cannot be said for marginalized and minority groups, such as members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community. Past studies have shown that these individuals are more likely to vote than their peers who are not members of this community. While there is information about voting habits of both the youngest voters and LGBTQ citizens, there has been little research done about the …

Beyond "Viuda De": Practical Approaches To Promoting Mexican Books Printed At Women-Owned Businesses, Taylor Leigh, Colleen Barrett

Library Presentations

Women print shop owners have existed for much longer than most people realize; the first examples in Mexico date to the seventeenth century. Unfortunately, these texts are not always clearly described in a way that is findable beyond searching “viuda de.” Though many title-pages describe their businesses in terms of being a widow of their husband, these business owners deserve credit for their entrepreneurial efforts and should be findable in their own right. This poster would highlight the strategies and steps taken by a Hispanic Studies Librarian and a Rare Books Librarian to better promote these types of works held …

Effects Of States’ Laws On Youth Physical Activity Participation And Obesity Prevalence, Chae Young Chang

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

The alarming prevalence of obesity and lack of physical activity among adolescents led to immediate policy action to address these concerns. Accordingly, many states introduced and enacted their own legislation to encourage physical activity in schools. Few studies have explored the effectiveness of the new legislation, however, especially at the state level. To answer the fundamental question of whether policy is effective and to describe the varying effects of state obesity policies, this study analyzed the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System from 2007 to 2017. Using the difference-in-differences method, this study found that legislative efforts to encourage physical activity had …