Support Services for Formerly Incarcerated Students

The purpose of my study was to improve and/or create support services for formerly incarcerated students at the University of San Diego. I sought to discover first if there were any existing support services available for these students at USD. I also sought to discover what kinds of support services existed at other local colleges and universities in order to compare and contrast with USD. Through 1:1 interviews, surveys, focus groups, and community restorative justice organizations, I learned that USD was one of the only higher education campuses in San Diego not currently providing support services for this population of students. My participants included formerly incarcerated students and faculty/staff across various higher education institutions throughout San Diego. I joined with USD representatives to help develop a program for these students to enhance their experience at USD. The goal for this study was to help with the reduction of recidivism and give formerly incarcerated students equal access to education through support and services

Eveningness and seasonality are associated with the bipolar disorder vulnerability trait

Trait theories of vulnerability to bipolar disorder (BD) are increasingly common in the literature, yet poorly understood. The aim of the current study was to complement existing knowledge of trait theories by investigating two biological rhythm features often associated with BD – eveningness and seasonality – in a sample assessed as vulnerable to the disorder. Two hundred and thirteen participants completed an online survey consisting of the General Behavior Inventory, Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire, and Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire. Hierarchical regressions controlling for sex and age showed that greater levels of seasonality and a tendency towards an eveningness chronotype were weak, but significant predictors of the BD vulnerability trait. When the traits of vulnerability to depression and mania were investigated separately, seasonality and eveningness were significant predictors of the former, but only seasonality was a significant predictor of the latter. The Autumn/Winter pattern of seasonality was a weak predictor of trait vulnerability to mania but not depression. The current findings advance understanding of the BD vulnerability trait, and may have consequences for the behavioural management of those who are considered to be ‘at risk’ of the disorder

Taking the Good With the Bad: Ambivalent Ties and Health in Later Life

Relationships that are sources of both positive and negative experiences (i.e., ambivalent ties) are understudied, and findings are mixed regarding their influence on health. This dissertation, accordingly, examined whether exposure to ambivalent ties differentially relates to health outcomes depending on how it is operationalized (Study 1), whether the link between ambivalent ties and cognitive functioning is moderated by interpersonal coping (Study 2), and whether the daily coupling of ambivalent ties and health limitations is moderated by affect valuation (Study 3). Community-dwelling older adults in the greater Austin, Texas area (N = 333 at baseline, ages 65-92 years old) completed an in-person interview at baseline, followed by a self-administered questionnaire (returned by mail), and 5-6 days of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys. Findings revealed that the proportion of ambivalent ties in one’s total network was the best operationalization of exposure to ambivalent ties in the current dataset (Study 1); ambivalent ties were related to poor cognitive functioning, a link not readily buffered by coping strategies (Study 2); and the daily coupling of ambivalent ties and health limitations was buffered by affect valuation (Study 3). Implications for models of ambivalent ties and health, as well as practical implications for older adults’ health and well-being, are discussed

Was It Really The “age Of Reagan?”: How The National Organization For Women Kept The Fight For Women’s Equality Alive, 1982-1992

The National Organization for Women is one of the largest organizations committed since its founding in 1966 to women’s equality with men and civil rights. Most works on the organization’s activism have focused on their activities during the 1960s and 1970s, a period that historians have labeled as the second “wave” of feminism, but what happened to NOW after the 1970s ended? What happened to feminism in the 1980s? The 1980s are frequently considered a period of conservative success, with the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984. This consideration of the decade presents a problem with the political history of the 1980s, as per the title of my work, which criticizes the old conception of the decade as the “age of Regan.” However, looking beneath this narrative is a richer history of the National Organization for Women and feminism in general, revealing a problem in the historiography: the “wave” metaphor. Though both criticisms of the 1980s and the “wave” metaphor are not new, it remains essential to challenge both. The “wave” story of the 1960s and 1970s marked the conclusion that it was in 1982, with the failure of the Equal Rights Amendment. However, I examine the immediate aftermath of the ERA failure and how NOW\u27s leaders continued their work throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s to prove that feminism did not end in 1982. The “wave” metaphor has become a simplistic way to organize feminist history but continuing the use of the “wave” metaphor neglects groups of women who did not participate in the popular histories of these “waves.” It also says feminist activism was not happening during periods outside of the “wave” timeline. In this thesis, I examine how the leaders of the National Organization for Women continued their activism throughout the 1980s by looking at the organization’s adjustments due to significant changes in national politics. I claim that three areas in particular show how the leaders of NOW made attempts to transform their organization during this period of significant change in the United States: first, their tactics and advocacy for racial equality; second, their approach to reproductive rights activism due to increasing health clinic violence; and finally, their involvement in electoral politics throughout the decade. The organization’s leaders also participated in international feminist work towards the latter half of the decade. Although I do not argue that their global activism during this time was as dramatic of a transformation as the other three areas, this work by NOW’s leaders bridges the gap between their work in the 1980s and the 1990s as the 1990s was when we see global feminist connections and movements take off. By examining the National Organization for Women’s leadership’s adjustments during the 1980s, my work shows how historians can uncover new histories of the 1980s beside the story of Ronald Reagan, as well as of American women in general who were working just as hard during eras that are not commonly considered as periods of feminist success

The Association of Racial Residential Segregation on Physical Activity and Diet among Older African American Church Members in the Urban South: A Mixed Methods Study

Background: Physical inactivity and poor diet are two factors contributing to disproportionate disease rates among older African Americans. Previous research indicates that older African Americans are more likely to live in racially segregated neighborhoods and that racial residential segregation is associated with limited opportunities for physical activity and availability of healthy food. Using the concept of therapeutic landscapes, the objective of this study was to examine the relationship between racial residential segregation, physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake among older African American church members living in urban areas of the Southeastern, US. Methods: In this mixed methods study, 472 participants from three counties in NC completed a baseline survey for a cancer screening and physical activity intervention. Participant addresses were geocoded and linked to census data. Racial residential segregation was measured as the proportion of African Americans residing in a participant's census tract. The study measured a neighborhood walkability score, counts of recreational facilities within a 1-mile radius, and counts of supermarkets, fast food restaurants, and conveniences stores within a 3-mile radius of a participant. Descriptive statistics and multilevel logistic and linear regression analyses were done using Mplus to determine bivariate and mediational relationships among variables. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 participants from racially segregated areas in order to understand the perception of the neighborhood environment on physical activity and diet and to further explain findings from the quantitative analyses. Results: Participants living in predominantly African American census tracts had more minutes of physical activity, but were less likely to meet physical activity recommendations. Census tracts with greater proportions of African American residents were found to have more convenience stores. No significant association was found between racial residential segregation and fruit and vegetable intake. In the qualitative interviews, participants discussed neighborhood features that facilitated physical activity and characteristics of places where they purchased food. Participants were able to be physically active in their neighborhoods, but had limited food options in their local supermarkets and traveled outside of their neighborhoods to find quality food at a reasonable price. Conclusion: The Southeastern US has a different historical and social context, which may operate differently to impact physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake among older African American church members, as compared to other regions of the US. Future research is needed to determine the mechanisms by which racial residential segregation can operate as a therapeutic landscape for older African Americans, which may lead to the design of effective interventions for this population

Scholarly Information Seeking Habits and Behaviors of Missouri State University (MSU) Faculty

A group of faculty and staff of the MSU Libraries (J. Johnson, coordinator, L. Cline, W. Edgar, S. Fischer, G. Jackson-Brown, A. Miller), assisted by W. Meadows of the MSU Department of Anthropology, conducted an ethnographic study using direct observation and semi-structured interviews of a sample of MSU faculty members to gain knowledge about faculty scholarly information seeking habits and behaviors to provide insight into the following research questions: ● What information sources and technologies are used by MSU faculty members in their scholarship?● Where do faculty members conduct their research?● Whom do faculty members consult for research, writing, and information seeking assistance?https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/reports-lib/1000/thumbnail.jp

Recruiting Community Partners for Veggie Van: Strategies and Lessons Learned From a Mobile Market Intervention in North Carolina, 2012–2015

BACKGROUND: Food access interventions are promising strategies for improving dietary intake, which is associated with better health. However, studies examining the relationship between food access and intake are limited to observational designs, indicating a need for more rigorous approaches. The Veggie Van (VV) program was a cluster-randomized intervention designed to address the gap between food access and intake. In this article, we aim to describe the approaches involved in recruiting community partners to participate in VV. COMMUNITY CONTEXT: The VV mobile market aimed to improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables by providing subsidized, high-quality, local produce in low-resource communities in North Carolina. This study describes the strategies and considerations involved in recruiting community partners and individual participants for participation in the VV program and evaluation. METHODS: To recruit partners, we used various strategies, including a site screener to identify potential partners, interest forms to gauge future VV use and prioritize enrollment of a high-need population, marketing materials to promote VV, site liaisons to coordinate community outreach, and a memorandum of understanding between all invested parties. OUTCOME: A total of 53 community organizations and 725 participants were approached for recruitment. Ultimately, 12 sites and 201 participants were enrolled. Enrollment took 38 months, but our approaches helped successfully recruit a low-income, low-access population. The process took longer than anticipated, and funding constraints prevented certain strategies from being implemented. INTERPRETATION: Recruiting community partners and members for participation in a multi-level, community-based intervention was challenging. Strategies and lessons learned can inform future studies