Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Participate For Peace: The Impacts Of Participatory Deliberative Democracy On Post-Conflict Peacebuilding In Central America, Marcia D. Mundt

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Liberal peacebuilding is at the center of a critical debate amongst scholars and practitioners due to the horrific consequence of conflict relapse or escalation in the wake of failed international interventions. Despite international efforts to promote durable peace, empirical research suggests that up to one half of all civil wars relapse into conflict within five years of negotiated settlement (Collier & Hoeffler, 2002; Suhrke & Samset, 2007). As an alternative to top-down liberal peace, locally-led post-conflict peacebuilding has been proposed as an innovative solution (Mac Ginty & Richmond, 2013). Participatory deliberative democracy, when applied in post-conflict contexts, aligns with this …

Socio-Economic Well-Being Of International F-1 Students Living And Working In The United States, Elena K. Taborda

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

According to United States law, international F-1 students are nonimmigrant aliens residing in the United States temporarily. Yet, they are more than just short-term visitors, as many of them live in the country for years while pursuing their postsecondary studies. Since international students are foreign citizens, their rights and freedoms are bound by the constraints of the country’s immigration policies. This study is concerned with work-related restrictions imposed on F-1 students by the U.S. government, positioning international students’ limited opportunities for employment as being in violation with their basic human right to economic and social development.

This multi-method project drew …

More Seats At The Table: An Examination Of The Role Of Natural Supports In Promoting Postsecondary Transition For Students With Disabilities In Rural Maine, Elizabeth Stone-Sterling

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Students with disabilities who receive special education services are entitled under federal law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, to have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that includes measurable postsecondary goals and identifies the transition services that are needed in order for the student to reach those goals. Transition planning for students with disabilities in rural areas can be uniquely challenging due to lack of access to transportation, service providers, and accessible programs. Failure to prepare for postsecondary education or employment is correlated with life-long challenges, including poverty, un/under-employment, and limited educational attainment. Natural supports, in the form of family …

Leadership Experiences Of Rural School Principals In Culturally-Cohesive Communities: A Phenomenological Study, Paige Ryan Raney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe leadership experiences of rural school principals in K-12 schools in culturally-cohesive communities in Alabama. Three theories guiding the study were Blanchard’s situational leadership theory (Hersey & Blanchard, 1977) as it described different leadership styles and directing others to desired results, Dweck’s mindset theory (Dweck, 2006) by considering how fixed mindset was the inability to think beyond a situation and growth mindset focused on the process of learning and development, and Burns’ and Bass’s (1978) transformational leadership theory in how principals display leadership. Rural principals’ experiences were defined as ways they …

The Current Mental Health Status Of Professional Asl/English Interpreters In The United States As It Pertains To Disorders: Specifically Focusing On Anxiety, Depression, Stress-Related Disorders, Personalities, And Work-Related Influencers, Nicole Denu Thorn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, variable-centered, correlational research design is to assess the mental health status of professional ASL/English interpreters currently working in the field. Specifically, this study looked at levels of anxiety, depression, and secondary stress within this population. It was postulated that many factors impact the mental health of professional interpreters; therefore, internal factors such as personality as well as external factors such as job demands were assessed. The findings of the research may prove helpful in developing future interpreter education as well as mental health care for current interpreters. A brief history of the profession is given …

Latinos In Massachusetts: Salvadorans, Phillip Granberry, Krizia Valentino

Gastón Institute Publications

A civil war in El Salvador in the 1970s and 1980s created a need for the United States to accept refugees, but the U.S. Justice Department’s Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) seldom granted petitions for political asylum by Salvadorans. In response, the Cambridge City Council in1985 passed a resolution that gave sanctuary to Salvadoran and other refugees. This helped facilitate Salvadoran migration to Massachusetts. Now after several decades, the Salvadoran population mostly resides in several cities and towns in the Greater Boston area, and over 40% of their population is native born. The social and economic analysis that follows paints …

Religion, Spirituality, And The Workplace: A Meta-Analytic Study On Outcomes Of Job Satisfaction, Job Performance, And Organizational Citizenship Behaviors, Juan Balcazar

Dissertations

Research indicates behavioral and attitudinal manifestations of religion and spirituality exert cross-domain impact across cognitive, intrapersonal, biological, industrial-organizational, and behavioral domains (Calman, 2008; Ngunjiri & Miller, 2004). The present study conducted a meta-analysis of both religious and spirituality (RS) as predictors on outcomes of job satisfaction, job performance, and organizational citizenship behavior. The present study seeks to delineate and distinguish religious faiths from spirituality by comparing the pooled effect size of religion studies with spirituality studies. A random effects model was analyzed for two subgroups on each dependent variable. Next, a subgroup fixed effects (plural) model was utilized to detect …

What Recourse Do Vulnerable Immigrants Have?: Violations Of The Vawa Confidentiality Provisions And The Pursuit Of An Even Playing Field, Trevor S. Gallaway

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract forthcoming.

America’S Second-Class Children: An Examination Of President Trump’S Immigration Policies On Migrant Children And Inquiry On Justice Through The Catholic Perspective, Gabriel Sáenz

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract forthcoming.

A Textuary Ray Of Hope For Lgbtq+ Workers: Does Title Vii Mean What It Says?, Eduardo Juarez

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract forthcoming.

Lessons Learned, Lessons Offered: Creating A Domestic Violence Drug Court, Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez, Dr. Stacy Speedlin Gonzalez

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract forthcoming.

Can We Have Our Cake And Eat It Too?: What Masterpiece Cakeshop And Religious Refusals Mean For Texas’S Adoption Bill, Nadeen Abou-Hossa

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract forthcoming.

Gardner's "Friends Like Henry: Everything Your Family Needs To Know About Finding, Training And Learning From An Autism Companion Dog" (Book Review), Xin "Lucy" Bai

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Huebner's "Something Bad Happened: A Kid’S Guide To Coping With Events In The News" (Book Review), Juliana Morley

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Long's "Truth Telling In A Post-Truth World" (Book Review), Julie E. Sweeney

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Thomas' "Voices From Captivity: Incarceration From Siberia To Guantanamo Bay" (Book Review), John Jaeger

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Do Recipients Of Cash Transfer Scheme Make The Right Decisions On Household Food Expenditure? A Study From A Rural District In Pakistan, Aminah Jahangir, Shehla Zaidi, Jai K. Das, Shifa Habib

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To assess spending by beneficiaries of Benazir Income Support Programme on monthly food commodities, and contribution of the cash grant programme on purchase of nutritious foods.
Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional survey of households enrolled in the Benazir Income Support Programme was conducted during July and August, 2013, in Matiari district of the Sindh province of Pakistan. Monthly household food expenditure on food commodities and use of the cash grant on type of food purchased was assessed through structured interviews of the beneficiaries. Results were computed in 2013 Pak rupees and converted to 2018 United States dollar. Women beneficiaries were …

Enhancing Communication Skills In Adolescents, Brooke Swan

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Adolescents may not be exposed to effective and healthy communication therefore unable to practice using those skills. This will allow them to learn these skills and use them in their life and express themselves effectively and be able to actively listen to others.

Restorative Justice Practices: Addressing The Eleven Percent, Marshal Galvan Jr.

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper analyzes, assesses, and introduces the importance of a “Needs Assessment” that can potentially record the effectiveness of the Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) practices with its youth offenders. VORP is a program within the purview of the Restorative Justice Partners, INC. organization. The functions of this program works closely with the probation department of Monterey County, along with various community partners; its practices are funneled through a restorative justice lens. Current data will show that 89% of youth offenders who have successfully completed the VORP program and are closed compliant do not reoffend, meanwhile the other 11% recidivates …

La Cultura Cura/Culture Heals, Vanessa Magdaleno Morga

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

A research project on how Native American practices and values strengthen coping with life stressors.

Mental Health And You, Sierra Salvatierra

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Latinx community at the Epicenter in Salinas dealt with mental health illnesses, as well as were brought up with machismo attitudes. This population has a strong stigma against getting help with their mental health. Being faced with immigration, poverty, discrimination and inadequite conversations about health, drives a spike in anxiety levels. Consequences of not dealing with mental health illnesses include unresolved emotions are generational trauma, self harm, substance abuse, and unhealthy relationships. The project created to get in front of this problem was a dialogue series of conversation starters for people who want to open up. The purpose of …

Survivors' Attainment Of Life-Skills, Morgan Victor

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Domestic Violence (DV), Human Trafficking (HT), and Sexual Assault (SA), otherwise known as power based personal violence, survivors’ lack life-skills to deal with the demands and challenges of everyday life. Community Solutions’ Solutions to Violence department, a non-profit agency serving survivors of SA, HT, and DV is actively assisting their clients with accessing community resources and advocating beside them through their journey to self-sufficiency. The contributing factors for the lack of life-skills are dependence on others, trauma, and lack of professional development opportunities. The consequences that arise from this issue for survivors are ongoing dependence on perpetrators, depression/anxiety, and poverty. …

Honoring Our Community Heroes, Juan C. Ruiz Jr

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The financially disenfranchised population of Santa Cruz County constantly face the challenges of being taken advantage of by employers when it comes to being allotted the appropriate wages, illegal evictions, as well as discrimination and health care access. California Rural Legal Assistance is a non-profit legal aid agency that provides the citizens of Santa Cruz County with legal aid and court representation at no cost. Currently, CRLA is facing a visibility dilemma with some contributing factors being citizens don't know about them or are too scared to attend because of their legal status, not enough donors or discretionary funding and …

Flourishing Gardens In Peoples Lives, Ramiro Rocha

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Mesa Verde Gardens has been a great asset in the Watsonville and Pajaro area by providing a unique way for people to live healthier lives. The community gardens have given people an opportunity to reach new standards for themselves. The organic produce being grown out of the seven different gardens in the area has accommodated the gardeners with delicious food for the entire season. In order to grow Mesa verde Gardens, an outreach project was conducted to allow people to familiarize with all seven gardens. These events included fundraisers, door to door outreach, and participation in community gatherings like festivals. …

Importance Of Grief And Loss Support, Omar I. Cortez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The capstone was implemented at the Safety Nest, a wellness center that provides socio-emotional and mental health services to all students within Everett Alvarez High School through the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports multi-tiered system. The school serves 2,664 students; 90.2% of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, and it is part of the Salinas Union High School District. The social problem addressed by the project is that “There are too many high school students in California experiencing emotional distress, which can result in academic failure, substance use, or suicide”. The project consisted of collaborating with the NEST’s Behavioral Intervention Specialist to implement an …

The Opaque Operations Of 21st Century Populism, Konnor Callihan

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

In my capstone, I claim that the populism of the 21st century should be considered a political style as elucidated by Benjamin Moffitt. But Moffitis’s understanding of political style does not adequately address how populism morphs through new technological systems, such as algorithms, filter bubbles, echo chambers in our internet devices. This theoretical framework takes necessary elements from past theories and stresses the performance that is vital to populism in our modern media ecosystem. The charismatic leader is no longer necessary, but the "opaque operations"( i.e algorithms, filter bubbles,echo chambers) allow populism to be almost self replicating. These “populist actors” …

Examining The History Of Racial Groups To Understand Health Disparities In Monterey County, Virginia Murillo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Monterey County Health Department’s Health Equity Scholars Academy aspires to train health workforce leaders to prioritize equity into services. Health inequities occur when there are systematic differences in the health statuses of different populations. These disparities perpetuate negative health outcomes for minority groups. In Monterey County, too few public employees are aware of the types and pervasiveness of health inequities experienced by a significant proportion of the population. A timeline was developed to provide a more accessible way to educate public employees about significant events and policies affecting Monterey County resident’s health. Content from the timeline has been incorporated …

Evaluation Of The Clerical Triage Pilot Program’S Implementation Process, Jacqueline Torres

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Monterey County Department of Social Services (MCDSS) has created a pilot program to their caller system in an effort to increase the caller satisfaction. The name of this pilot program is the Clerical Triage pilot program; which will be implemented at the administrative area of MCDSS. This capstone project will focus on following the implementation of the Clerical Triage Pilot Program and the short term results that occurred. This project gives a clear representation of how an implementation will look like if implemented to a caller system. The results will affect the call volume, and caller wait time; this …

Importance Of Mental Health Awareness In Schools, Alexandra Elliott

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

We all have different experiences and beliefs that shape our perspectives and impact our mental health. The concept of mental health exists in Western civilization but is absent in others, so it is important to be sensitive when discussing the terminology of mental health by itself. There is ample evidence of a disproportionate amount of mental health issues among people living in low-income areas due to lack of resources in these communities. In fact, mental health resources are disproportionately accessible to white, affluent individuals in Western civilization. This senior capstone research project is intended to find ways to reach new …

Biographical Availability In The Climate Movement, Nicole Cortes

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this study was to understand how social movements against climate change include or engage with the age demographics. This study is a qualitative analysis by observing Monterey and Santa Cruz climate events and interviewing activists from local organizations. The individuals who participated in this study have shared their experience being involved in the climate organizations as well as their perception of the climate movement’s impact. This research has been conducted to theorize and understand how youth climate movement frames the presentation of age and how that compares to the actual capacity of age in the movement. As …